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L— CLAREMONT  TALES. 

II.— ADOPTED  SON. 
III.— YOUNG  PILGRIM.  . 
IV.— GIANT  KILLER  Alft)  SEQUEL. 

V.— FLOB4  AND  OTHER  TALES. 
VI.— THE  RAT  iZND  THE  NEEDLE. 

ALSO    IN    SEPARATE   VOLUMES.. 

I.— THE  GIAN^gXLLER.     Alone.  30  cents. 
II.— THE  ROByP"¥AMILY.    A  Sequel  to  the  Above. 

30  cents. 
III.— WINGS  AND  STINGS.    ^5  cents. 
IV.— WALTER  BINNING.     25  cents. 
V.— TRUE  HEROISM.     25  cents. 
VL— RAMBLES  OP  A  RAT.     30  cents. 
VII.— THE  STORY  OP  A  NEEDLE; 


M 

4 


A  PIECE  OF  MISCHIEF. 
Eddy  then  pressed  it  a  little  harder,  I  suppose,  for  I  saw  the  child  give  a  slight 
start  as  if  some  mischief  had  been  done,  and  then  scramble  from  the  chair  faster 
tian  he  had  gone  up. 


Needle. 


THE 


Sf tSW  m  £k  HSSMMB 


GOLD  ON  A  DARK  GROUND. 

"  There  are  far  greater  tiials  than  poverty,"  she  faid.  "  It  will  only  draw  us 
closer  together.  I  can  be  happy  in  a  very  small  abode,  so  that  my  dear  husband 
and  children  are  with  me." 


DigitizecTby  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  wijh  funding  from 

University  of  Nortft  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/storyofneedlealoe 


THE 


STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE 


BY 

A.    L.    O.    E., 

AUTHORESS   OF   "  THE   RAMBLE8   OF   A  RAT,"  "  THE   YOUNG   PILGRIM, 

"THE   GIANT-KILLER,  AND   SEQUEL,"  "CLAREMONT  TALES," 

"FLORA,"   "THE  ADOPTED    SON,"'  ETC. 


NEW    YORK: 
ROBERT    CARTER    &    BROTHERS, 

No.    530   BROADWAY. 

^v  

1858. 


C  0  k  t  e  it  t  s . 


CHAP.  PAGE. 

I. — My  Education, 9 

II. — My  First  Adventure,  .  .  .  .  14 
III. — Conversation  in  a  "Workbox,  .  .  .22 
1Y. — A  Mother's  Delights,         ....        28 

V. — A  Perfect  Metal, 37 

xVI. — A  Piece  of  Mischief, 42 

VII. — The  Lively  Metal, 50 

VIII. — Packing  the  Box, 5G 

IX. — Gold  on  a  Dark  Ground,     .        .        .        .65 
X. — The  Schoolboy's  Return,    .        .        .        .        75 

XI.— Home  Hints, 83 

XH. — The  Story  of  a  Needle  and  a  Compass,  .  94 
XTTT. — Gold  Brought  to  the  Proof,  .  .  .106 
XTV.— Conclusion 116 


0fy  REALLY  can  say  nothing  of  my  ear- 
liest days  except  from  report.  I  have 
heard,  bnt  I  can  hardly  believe  it,  that 
I  was  once  part  of  a  rough  mass  of  iron 
ore,  that  had  lain  for  ages  in  a  dark  mine 
in  Cornwall ;  that  I  was  dug  out,  and  put  into 
a  huge  furnace,  and  heated  till  I  became  red- 
hot,  and  melted ;  that  I  was  made  into  part 
of  an  iron  bar,  and  when  in  a  fiery  glow  wras 
suddenly  plunged  into  cold  water,  which 
changed  my  whole  constitution  and  name,  for 
iron  was  thenceforth  called  steel.  I  can  just 
fancy  how  the  water  fizzed  and  hissed,  and 
how  my  fiery  flush  faded  suddenly  away,  and 
I  became  again  quite  black  in  the  face  !  I  can 
fancy  all  this,  as  I  said,  but  I  really  remember 
nothing  about  it. 

JSTor  have  I  any  recollection  of  being  drawn 


10  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

out  into  wire,  forced  to  push  myself  through 
little  holes,  smaller  and  smaller,  till  I  was 
long  enough,  and  slim  enough,  for  the  purpose 
for  which  the  manufacturer  designed  me.  My 
very  earliest  remembrance  is  of  finding  myself 
/lying  aman  anvil,  along  with  thousands  others 
d%  my  species.  But  you  must  not  fancy  me 
then,  gentle  reader,  in  the  least  like  the  neat, 
trim,  bright  little  article  that  now  has  the 
pleasure!  of  addressing  you.  I  fancy  that  I 
looked  uncommonly  like  a  bit  of  steel  wire, 
neither  useful  nor  ornamental. 

"While  I  lay  quietly  reflecting  in  a  kind  of 
dull,  sleepy  doze,  for  at  that  time  I  was  not 
sharp  at  all,  a  violent  blow  on  one  end  of  me 
startled  me  not  a  little — I  had  been  hit  on 
that  side  as  flat  as  a  pancake ! 

"What  next!"  thought  I.  I  had  little 
time  for  thinking.  I  was  popped  into  the  fire 
in  a  minute,  but  taken  out  again  before  I  had 
time  to  melt.  Then  down  came  another  blow 
upon  me,  which  had  quite  a  different  effect 
from  the  first.  It  pierced  out  a  little  hole  in 
my  flat  head  and  I  received  the  advantage  of 


MY  EDUCATION.  11 

having  an  eye !  No  sooner  did  I  possess  it 
than  I  began  to  nse  it ;  I  peered  around  me 
with  much  curiosity,  now  on  the  long  brick 
building  in  which  I  found  myself,  now  on  the 
rough,  care-worn  faces  of  the  workmen,  red- 
dened by  the  glow  of  the  fire-light,  now  on 
the  multitude  of  baby  needles  around  me,  all 
looking  up  with  their  little  round  eyes  ! 

I  was  now  placed  upon  a  block  of  lead,  and 
my  eye  was  punched  to  bring  out  the  little  bit 
of  steel  which  was  neither  tidy  nor  convenient. 
Then,  to  improve  the  shape  of  my  flat  head, 
it  was  filed  a  little  on  both  sides. 

I  felt  now  tolerably  well  satisfied  with  my- 
self,— something  like  a  child  (for  I  have  since 
seen  a  good  deal  of  the  world)  when  it  has 
mastered  the  first  difficulties  of  learning,  and 
begins  to  fancy  itself  a  genius.  But  there 
was  a  good  deal  more  of  filing,  and  heating, 
and  polishing  before  me  ;  education  is  a  slow 
and  troublesome  matter,  whether  to  children 
or  needles ! 

I  am  afraid  that  I  should  tire  you,  dear 
reader,  were  I  to  give  you  the  whole  story  of 


12  STOEY   OF  A   XEEDLE. 

how  I  was  filed  into  a  point ;  how  I  thoiight 
the  file  hard,  disagreeable,  and  rough,  as  many 
youug  folk  have  thought  their  teachers  ;  how 
I  was  then  heated  in  a  fire  till  I  grew  as  red 
as  naughty  boys  who  have  been  caned  by  their 
master,  then  left  to  cool  in  a  basin  of  cold 
water,  like  the  same  boys  shut  up  to  think  over 
the  matter. 

Then  I  and  a  number  of  my  companions 
were  held  in  a  shovel  over  the  fire,  and  stirred 
about,  and  then  straightened  with  blows  of 
the  hammer.  I  thought  that  I  must  now  be 
quite  perfect ;  but  never  was  needle  more 
mistaken.  How  could  I  go  through  linen, 
cloth,  and  silk,  how  could  young  gentlemen 
and  ladies  go  through  the  world  without  a 
proper  degree  of  polish  !  Thousands  of  us 
were  put  on  a  piece  of  buckram,  sprinkled 
with  emery  dust ;  more  emery  dust  was  thrown 
over  us,  and  then  a  small  quantity  of  oil,  for 
I  wish  that  every  teacher  would  remember 
that  though  the  emery  of  discipline  is  necessary 
enough,  it  works  best  when  laid  on  with  the 
sweet  oil  of  kindness. 


MY  EDUCATION.  IS 

Oh !  if  I  could  only  describe  the  rolling 
backwards  and  forwards,  the  rubbing  and 
scrubbing  again  and  again,  the  washing,  the 
wiping,  the  smoothing  on  a  stone,  thought 
necessary  to  complete  a  good  needle  !  Depend 
upon  it,  dear  reader,  your  reading  and  writing, 
your  sums  and  your  tables,  nay,  even  the 
terrible  dog's-eared  grammar,  are  nothing  to 
what  the  smallest  needle  must  go  through, 
before  it  is  fit  to  appear  in  the  world ! 
2 


II. 

UE  education  being  now  finished,  two 
hundred  and  fifty  of  us  were  packed 
up  together,  and  remained  in  darkness 
and  seclusion  for  some  time.  "We  were 
then  removed,  separated,  and  in  smaller 
numbers  placed  in  neat  little  dark-colored  pa- 
pers, and  kept  in  a  box  in  a  shop.  Of  ali  the 
tiresome  parts  of  my  life,  this  was  the  most 
tiresome  by  far.  I  longed  for  the  moment 
when  I  should  be  taken  from  the  prison,  and 
see  a  little  of  the  world.  I  was  quite  discon- 
tented with  my  state. 

"  Why  was  I  made,  if  not  to  be  used  ?" 
thought  I.  "  Why  have  I  undergone  all  this 
heating,  hitting,  and  polishing  ?  why  am  I  so 
sharp,  so  neat,  so  bright,  if  not  to  make  some 
figure  in  the  world?"  I  was  only  a  young 
needle,  you  see,  and  impatience  is  natural  to 


MY   FIRST  ADVENTURE.  15 

youth;  I  was  not  the  only  one  who  finds  it 
hard  to  stay  contentedly  in  the  position  in 
which  he  had  been  placed. 

At  length  I  felt  myself  moved,  (you  know 
that  I  could  see  nothing  out  of  my  paper)  ;  I 
believe  that  I  had  been  bought  and  sold,  and 
though  not  at  once  released  from  my  con- 
finement, I  felt  reasonable  hopes  that  I  soon 
should  be  so.  Nor  were  my  expectations  dis- 
appointed. 

"Oh!  mamma!  dear  mamma!  what  a 
sweet  little  work-box !  and  all  fitted  up  so 
nicely  !"  exclaimed  a  childish  voice  near  me.- 
I  longed  to  have  a  peep  at  the  speaker. 

"  I  hope  that  it  may  assist  my  Lily  to  be  a 
tidy,  useful  little  girl,  such  as  her  mother  would 
wish  to  see  her." 

"  What  a  pretty  silver  thimble,  and  it  fits 
me  exactly  ;  just  see  !  you've  left  a  place  for 
my  scissors,  as  I  have  a  nice  pair  already. 
What  neat,  tiny  reels ! — and  what's  this  ?  a 
yard  measure, — ah  !  and  here  is  wax  to  make 
my  thread  strong !  Thank  you,  dear  mamma, 
again  and  again !" 


16  STOEY  OP  A  NEEDLE. 

I  confess  that  I  was  rather  in  a  state  of  irri- 
tation. Nobody  seemed  to  be  thinking  in  the 
least  about  me ;  after  all  my  finished  educa- 
tion, it  was  not  thought  worth  while  even  to 
give  me  a  look !  At  length  my  paper  was 
moved,  very  roughly  torn  open,  light  flashed 
upon  its  contents,  and  I  and  my  companions 
were  scattered  in  every  direction,  I  alighting 
on  the  Holland  pinafore  of  a  fair,  chubby- 
faced  boy,  who  had  been  the  author  of  the 
mischief. 

"  Oh,  Eddy !  you  tiresome  child !  if  you 
would  only  leave  my  box  alone!  just  see 
what  you've  done  with  my  needles !" 

I  seized  the  opportunity  of  looking  around 
me,  in  no  hurry  for  my  resting-place  to  be 
discovered.  I  found  myself  in  a  very  com- 
fortable room,  full  of  so  many  things  to  excite 
my  curiosity,  that  I  felt  as  though  I  could 
have  gazed  forever !  But  perhaps  what  in- 
terested me  most  was  my  first  sight  of  the  hu- 
man beings  who  occupied  the  apartment. 
They  were  so  unlike  the  workmen  to  whom 
I  had  been  accustomed,  that  I  examined  them 


MY  FIRST  ADVENTURE.  17 

just  as  a  philosopher  might  examine  some 
newly-discovered  curiosity. 

In  the  first  place  there  was  a  gentle,  blue- 
eyed  lady,  who  sat  near  the  table  on  which 
the  work-box  was  placed  ;  while  on  her  knee 
rested  a  very  plump  little  child,  calmly  en- 
gaged in  sucking  her  thumb.  A  girl  of  about 
ten  years  of  age  (I  knew  nothing  of  ages  then, 
and  had  not  a  notion  of  any  thing  growing, 
but  I  have  since  learned  much  from  observa- 
tion,) was  on  her  knees,  searching  for  her 
needles.  She  was  evidently  to  be  my  future 
mistress,  and  I  anxiously  glanced  into  her  face 
to  read  what  sort  of  a  child  she  might  be.  I 
scarcely  knew  whether  her  countenance  pleas- 
ed me  or  not.  She  had  light  eyes,  like  her 
mamma ;  rather  a  turned-up  little  nose,  which 
gave  her  a  somewhat  saucy  expression ;  and  I 
am  sorry  to  say  that,  just  at  that  moment,  I 
saw  on  her  brow  sundry  creases,  which  did 
not  give  me  an  idea  of  good  temper.  I  know 
that  it  is  a  foolish  feeling  of  mine,  but  when- 
ever I  see  those  ugly  creases  rising  on  the 
brow  of  a  little  boy  or  girl,  I  always  feel  in- 
2* 


18  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

clined  to  bestow  on  them  a  little  prick,  just  by 
way  of  good  counsel,  you  understand !  I  have 
seen  lines,  and  very  deep  lines,  made  on  the 
forehead  by  care  ;  I  could  just  faintly  trace 
some  on  that  of  Mrs.  Ellerslie ;  they  became 
only  too  distinct  in  the  course  of  time,  but 
they  never  for  a  moment  altered  the  gentle 
expression  of  her  face. 

I  think  now  that  I  hear  her  soft  voice  as  she 


"  Oh  !  Lily,  do  not  be  so  much  vexed  with 
your  brother.  You  know  that  he  is  only  a 
little  boy.  Come,  my  Eddy,  let  us  help  to 
look  for  the  needles ;  you  must  not  touch  the 
papers  again !" 

I  can  not  say  much  for  Eddy's  skill  or  in- 
dustry in  the  search ;  he  was  much  more  in- 
tent on  making  baby  laugh  by  snapping  his 
fingers  and  grinning  at  her,  turning  his  head 
knowingly  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the  other, 
till  he  succeeded  in  drawing  from  her  a  merry 
crow,  and  a  smile  showed  her  little  toothless 
gums. 

Such  success  elated  Eddy,  and,  determined 


MY   FIRST  ADVENTURE.  19 

to  press  a  good  kiss  on  that  sweet  little  mouth, 
he  came  close — too  close  to  her,  alas  !  for  he 
caused  me  to  inflict,  I  am  sorry  to  confess  it,  a 
very  tiny  scratch  on  the  baby's  plump  white 
arm ! 

You  should  have  heard  what  a  scream  she 
set  up  !  I  really  felt  quite  embarrassed  ;  was 
this  to  be  the  commencement  of  my  career, 
was  I  to  begin  my  services  by  mischief?  You 
must  consider,  also,  gentle  reader,  that  my  as- 
tonishment was  very  great  at  the  effect  pro- 
duced by  my  head  simply  rubbing  against  a 
child's  arm !  I  myself,  though  not  a  thou- 
sandth part  of  the  size  of  the  baby,  had  borne 
hammering,  bruising,  and  battering,  not  only 
in  silence,  but  with  little  inconvenience,  and 
here  the  smallest  touch  seemed  to  excite  terror 
and  pain  such  as  had  never  even  entered  into 
my  fancy.  Ah !  I  soon  found  how  very  dif- 
ferent the  human  species  is  from  ours ;  how 
easily  their  tender  flesh  is  wounded,  and — 
what  I  thought  still  more  strange — how  easily 
their  feelings  are  pained  !  It  has  seemed  to 
me,  from  what  I  have  observed  in  life,  and 


20  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

from  what  I  have  heard  from  companions  of 
my  own,  possessing  greater  experience,  that 
there  are  some  human  beings  whose  great 
pleasure  seems  to  be,  pricking  and  paining 
the  hearts  of  those  around  them,  as  if  life 
were  not  full  enough  of  sorrows,  without  our 
wilfully  bringing  them  upon  our  neighbors. 

Eddy  seemed  much  more  penitent  for  hav- 
ing hurt  the  baby,  than  for  having  overthrown 
Lily's  paper  of  needles,  though  the  latter  ac- 
tion had  been  the  cause  of  the  former.  He 
joined  his  mother  and  sister  in  trying  to  soothe 
little  Rosey,  and  assured  her  so  often  that  he 
was  "  very,  very  sorry,"  and  called  her  by  so 
many  sweet  names,  "  little  pet,  darling,  and 
duck,"  and  kissed  the  scratched  arm  so  often, 
that  she  soon  appeared  quite  pacified.  I  was 
not  so  well  pleased  at  the  titles  which  he  gave 
me,  throwing  all  the  blame  on  "the  naughty, 
ugly  needle/'  that  had  been  the  innocent  cause 
of  her  pain.  I  was  rather  in  ill  humor  when 
Lily  hastily  replaced  me  in  the  work-box,  not 
dreaming  of  putting  me  back  in  my  paper, 
but  sticking  me  unceremoniously  into  the  red 


MY  FIKST  ADVENTURE.  21 

silk  which  lined  the  top  of  the  box.  And 
there  I  was  to  remain,  in  company  with  other 
articles  of  metal,  with  which  I  soon  entered 
into  acquaintance ;  for  all  the  metals  are  na- 
turally related  to  each  other,  and  I  was  able 
to  make  myself  understood  by  every  thing 
bearing  the  nature  of  a  mineral. 


Ill 


€m%mwU®n  in  a  Watl-in. 


ell,  what  do  you  think  of  your 
new  life?"  said  the  Scissors,  as 
soon  as  we  were  left  quietly  in 
the  box.  Perhaps  I  had  better 
pause  for  a  moment  to  describe 
my  new  companion,  before  I  record  our  con- 
versation. 

The  pair  of  Scissors,  with  which  I  had  now 
to  make  acquaintance,  had  rather  an  old- 
fashioned  air.  One  end  was  rounded,  the 
other  had  been  sharp,  but  a  little  piece  had 
been  broken  off  the  point.  I  fancied  that  I 
detected  on  one  of  the  handles  somethiDg  red- 
dish, like  a  little  speck  of  rust,  and  the  bright- 
ness of  the  whole  article  was  dimmed.  This 
was  doubtless  a  mark  of  antiquity,  and  it  was 
in  the  patronizing  manner  of  one  who  was 
aware  of  her  own  superiority,  that  Mrs.  Scis- 


CONVERSATION  IN  A  WORK-BOX.  23 

sors  repeated  her  question,  "  Pray,  what  do 
you  think  of  your  new  life?" 

"  I  have  hardly  had  time  to  judge,"  was  my 
reply  ;  "  but  I  am  rather  hurt  at  the  way  in 
which  that  little  boy  laid  the  whole  blame  of 
his  own  fault  upon  me." 

"  Oh  !  that  is  what  you  must  always  expect," 
laughed  the  Scissors;  "a  bad  shearer  never 
has  good  shears.  I've  been  these  ten  years  in 
the  family,  and  I've  always  found  it  the  same. 
When  Miss  Lily  took  it  into  her  head  to  imi- 
tate the  hair-dresser,  and  practice  upon  Eddy's 
flaxen  poll,  when  I  glanced  aside,  and  snipped 
his  little  ear,  whose  fault  was  that  but  '  the 
stupid  Scissors  !'  And  when  I  was  seized 
upon  to  open  a  nailed  box,  whose  contents  the 
young  lady  was  impatient  to  see,  whose  fault 
was  it  when  my  poor  point  suddenly  snapped? 
why.  l  the  good-for-nothing  Scissors,'  to  be 
sure." 

"  I  hope  that  I  shall  not  be  treated  in  such  a 
way,"  said  I,  rather  alarmed  at  her  words ; 
11  it  would  be  too  bad,  after  the  trouble  that 
has  been  taken  to  form  me,  after  having  had 


24  STOEY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

to  pass  to  perfection  through  so  many  hands, 
to  be  snapped  by  a  careless  child." 

"  You  would  have  nothing  but  the  dust-hole 
before  you,"  said  the  Scissors.  I  thought  the 
remark  very  unpleasant. 

"  I  almost  wish  that  I  had  remained  im  my 
mine,"  sighed  I. 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  a  soft  voice  beside  me,  and 
I  remarked  a  beautiful  little  Thimble,  of  a 
metal  unknown  to  me  before,  so  bright,  and 
white,  and  shining,  that  I  felt  at  once  that  it 
was  of  superior  nature. 

"  Would  you  wish,"  she  continued,  "  to  lie 
useless,  to  be  of  no  benefit  to  any  ?  Has  not 
man  refined,  formed,  polished,  improved  you, 
and  exerted  the  powers  of  his  reason  to  render 
you  an  instrument  of  good?" 

"  What  has  man's  reason  to  do  with  us?" 
said  I. 

"  I  know  not  whether  I  can  explain  myself 
clearly,"  replied  the  Thimble,  "  but  I  will  en- 
deavour to  show  you  what  I  mean.  Man  has 
been  gifted  with  a  power  called  reason ;  by 
this  he  governs  the  world,  by  this  he  sub- 


CONVERSATION  IN  A  WORK-BOX.         25 

dues  creatures  stronger  than  himself,  and  makes 
all  things  combine  to  serve  him.  He  has  dis- 
covered that  iron  possesses  a  strength  which 
he  may  turn  to  valuable  account.  It  would 
be  endless  labor  to  plough  the  fields  if  the 
ground  had  to  be  torn  up  by  the  hand ;  it 
would  be  terrible  work  to  reap  the  corn,  if 
each  blade  had  to  be  pulled  off  by  the  fingers. 
Man  determined  to  aid  his  own  weakness  by 
that  wonderful  strength  of  iron.  He  made  the 
ploughshare,  and  the  furrows  are  turned  up  ; 
he  made  the  sickle,  and  the  sheaves  are 
gathered  ;  huge  trees,  which  he  would  never 
have  had  force  to  pull  down,  are  laid  low  by 
a  few  strokes  of  his  axe." 

"There  is  no  doubt  but  that  ours  is  the 
most  useful  metal  by  far,"  said  the  Scissors, 
with  something  of  a  sneer.  "  Who  would  use 
ploughshares,  or  sickles,  or  axes  of  silver — 
precious  little  work  they  would  do  !" 

"  I  grant  it,"  said  the  Thimble,  with  perfect 
good  humour ;  "  but  we  all  have  our  place  in  the 
world,  we  all  have  some  good  purpose  to  fulfiL 
Zinc,  lead,  tin,  arsenic,  platina,  nickel—" 
3 


26  STOET  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"Stop,  stop,"  I  exclaimed,  overwhelmed 
with  such  a  list  ;"  I  never  knew  there  were 
so  many  metals  before," 

"Nay,"  replied  the  Thimble,  gaily,  "  I  have 
not  numbered,  one  half  of  them, — 

u  Manganese,  cobalt,  rhodium, 
Copper,  potassium,  sodium — " 

"  Whoever  such  names  bestowed  on  'em, 
Such  long  names  I  hold  in  odium !" 

cried  I. 

"  There's  rhyme,  but  not  reason,"  laughed 
the  Thimble. 

"If  it  is  hard  to  number  up  the  metals,"  I 
observed,  "  how  impossible  must  it  be  to  count 
all  the  uses  to  which  they  are  put  1" 

"  Impossible,  indeed,"  said  the  Thimble. 
"  Man  avails  himself  every  day,  every  hour,  of 
the  treasures  which  he  has  won  from  the  mine 
■ — for 

"  Ploughing,  digging,  and  hoeing ; 
Cooking,  ironing,  mowing ; 
Cutting,  sawing,  and  sewing ; 
Holding  the  embers  glowing  j 
Speeding  the  vessel's  going  ; 
Music,  when  horns  are  blowing  j 


CONVERSATION   IN   A  WORK-BOX.  27 


Money,  when  debts  are  owing; 
Bridges,  where  streams  are  flowing ; 
Lace,  where  finery's  showing; 
Greenhouse  where  plants  are  growing — 

"  In  short  there's  no  counting  or  knowing 
All  that  man  to  metals  is  owing!" 

cried  I. 


IV. 
§,  9'ftffrt  9Higtts. 

EWHSTG- !  how  I  hate  sewing !  I  won- 
der what  use  there  is  in  my  learning 
to  sew,"  exclaimed  Lily,  in  rather  a 
fretful  tone,  as  she  took  me  out  of  the 
box. 

"  I  wonder  what's  the  use  of  learning  to 
spell !"  yawned  little  Eddy  over  a  dog's-eared 
book,  as  he  sat  on  a  stool  close  by  his 
mother. 

Mrs.  Ellerslie  was  busy  at  her  desk,  exam- 
ining her  monthly  accounts,  with  a  grave  and 
anxious  expression.  She  was  interrupted,  in 
the  midst  of  summing  up  a  long  bill,  by  her 
little  girl  bringing  her  work  to  her. 
"Mamma — " 

"  Yes,  my  dear/'  said  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  without 
raising  her  eyes,  and  continued  murmuring 
half  aloud,  '"  Thirteen  pounds  and  a  half  at 


a  mother's  delights.  29 

sevenpence- three  farthings  —  I   thought  there 
must  be  an  error  somewhere." 

"Mamma,  please  will  you  lay  down  the 
hem  for  me  I" 

"  Really,  my  love,  I  am  very  busy  at  pre- 
sent ;  I  think  that  after  all  the  trouble  wmich 
I  have  taken  to  teach  you,  you  might  manage 
to  do  that  for  yourself,"  and  again  she  went 
on  with  her  accounts;  while  Lily,  looking 
rather  discontented,  slowly  returned  to  her 
seat. 

"  Mamma,"  said  Eddy,  rising,  and  laying  his 
book  on  her  knee,  "  I  know  my  lesson." 

"Wait  a  minute,  my  boy,  I  will  hear  you 
almost  directly." 

So  Eddy  waited  cheerfully  enough,  and  to 
amuse  himself  in  the  meantime,  began  trying 
to  mend  his  mother's  pen,  to  the  no  small 
damage  of  the  pen,  and  the  imminent  risk  of 
his  own  fingers. 

"Oh,   Eddy,  put   that  knife  down!"    ex- 
claimed the  harassed  lady,  when  she  had  raised 
her  head  for  a  moment,  to  see  the  nature  of 
his  occupation.     "  Come,  you  had  better  say 
3* 


80  STORY   OF   A   NEEDLE. 

your  lesson  at  once,"  she  continued,  hopelessly 
laying  down  the  bill,  and  taking  up  the  spell- 
ing book.\  She  was  too  gentle,  too  loving,  to 
be  irritable  or  peevish,  but  petty  cares  and 
petty  troubles  were  wearing  out  her  strength, 
and  damping  the  spirits  which  had  once  been 
so  light.  I  saw  that  though  Mrs.  Ellerslie 
fondly  loved  her  children,  she  could  not  help 
feeling  them  a  weariness  to  her ;  and  though 
they  had  much  affection  for  their  mother,  they 
had  little  consideration  for  her  comfort. 

"Now,  Eddy,"  said  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  as  the 
little  gentleman  stood  with  his  arms  pressed 
down  to  his  sides  before  her,  "how  do  you  spell 
the  word  pan  V 

"B,  o,  y,"  replied  Eddy,  with  emphasis. 

"  Oh,  fie !  that's  not  knowing  your  lesson. 
You  had  better  look  it  over  again,"  she  con- 
tinued, as  a  servant  brought  in  a  note,  with 
the  words,  "  The  messenger  is  waiting  for  an 
answer." 

In  the  meantime,  I  was  making  my  first 
essay  in  sewing  ;  and  though,  I  assure  you,  it 
was  from  no  fault  of  mine,  a  lamentably  bung- 


31 


ling  essay  it  was.  The  hem  laid  down  by  my 
little  mistress  was  in  some  parts  twice  as  broad 
as  in  others,  while  in  one  place  the  edge  was 
scarcely  turned  in  at  all.  I  was  quite  hurt 
at  the  crooked  stitches  which  Lily  forced  me 
to  make,  and  I  wondered  to  myself  whether 
she  worked  thus  from  stupidity  or  a  wilful 
temper. 

While  the  lady  read  and  answered  the  note 
in  haste,  Eddy  sat  demurely  on  his  stool,  lean- 
ing" his  elbows  on  his  knees,  and  his  chin  on 
the  palm  of  his  hands,  as  if  buried  in  pro- 
found study.  As  soon  as  the  servant  had 
left  the  room,  he  came  again  to  his  mother 
with —       _ 

"  Mamma,  I  know  my  lesson  now." 

"  What  do  p-i-n  make?"  said  the  lady. 

"  Pm,"  replied  Eddy ;  for  which  correct 
answer  he  received  a  smile  and  a  quiet  "  That's 
right." 

"  And.  what  do  p-i-n-e  make  ?"  continued 
his  mother. 

il  Needle  /"  shouted  out  the  child  with  de- 
cision.    Mrs.  Ellerslie  laid  the  book  down  on 


82  STOKY    OF  A    NEEDLE. 

her  knee.  "  I'm  afraid  that  I  must  turn  you 
again,  Eddy." 

Eddy  pouted  as  lie  took  back  his  lesson, 
and  before  Mrs.  Ellerslie  resumed  her  accounts, 
she  said  to  Lilly,  "Let  me  see  how  you  are 
getting  on  with  your  work." 

Lily  brought  it  reluctantly  to  her  mother. 

"  Oh,  fie  !  this  will  never  do  I  Are  you  not 
ashamed  of  such  hemming  ?" 

"  I  couldn't  lay  down  the  hem  right,"  said 
Lily  very  dolefully. 

"  Could  not,  or  would  not,  Lily  ?  I  am  sure 
that  you  can  work  more  neatly  than  that; 
just  take  it  back  and  unpick  it  nicely." 

Lily  colored,  and  as  she  bent  over  me  again, 
I  saw  a  big  tear  fall  close  beside  me. 

"  Three  and  eight,  nine  and  four,"  murmur- 
ed Mrs.  Ellerslie  over  her  accounts.  "Lily, 
hold  up  your  head ;  you  must  not  stoop  so, 
my  child.  Eddy, .  do  not  pull  off  your  but- 
tons." She  leant  her  head  upon  her  hand  ;  I 
believe  that  it  was  aching,  and  so  lily  would 
have  suspected  had  she  looked  at  that  pale 
face ;  but  the  young  lady  was  gloomily  pro- 


A  mother's  delights.  33 

ceeding  with  her  work,  and  perhaps  grumbling 
in  her  heart  at  the  little  task  which  she  might 
so  easily  have  performed. 

It  was  clear  to  me  that  the  poor  mother  was 
to  have  no  peace,  for  again  she  was  inter- 
rupted to  pay  the  washerwoman,  and  had 
scarcely  finished  that  small  piece  of  business, 
rendered  troublesome  by  not  having  enough 
of  change,  when  there  was  a  sound  of  crying 
from  the  room  above. 

'*Is  not  that  baby's  voice?"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Ellerslie,  half  rising  from  her  seat.  She  glanced 
at  Lily,  probably  intending  to  send  her  on  a 
message,  at  least  it  appeared  so  from  the  move- 
ment of  her  head ;  but  Lily  had  no  idea  of 
reading  the  wishes  of  her  mother,  and  kept 
sullenly  pricking  me  in  and  out,  sitting  as  if 
fastened  to  her  seat.  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  therefore, 
took  the  shortest  way  of  settling  the  matter, 
and  herself  ran  up  stairs  to  the  baby. 

Master  Eddy  took  advantage  of  her  absence 
to  clamber  up  her  vacant  chair,  and  make 
himself  acquainted  with  the  contents  of  her 
desk.     A  very  little  care  on  the  part  of  Lily 


34  STOEY    OF   A    NEEDLE. 

might  have  prevented  him  from  doing  any 
mischief,  but  whether  from  ill  temper  or  in- 
attention, she  took  no  notice  whatever  of  his 
pranks.  When  Mrs.  Ellerslie  re-entered  the 
room,  she  found  her  ink-bottle  overturned  on 
the  table,  and  a  black  stream  flowing  down  on 
the  carpet,  which  her  little  boy  was  attempt- 
ing to  stop  with  a  handful  of  bills. 

"  Oh,  Eddy,  Eddy,  what  have  you  done  I" 
cried  the  poor  lady.  "Lily,  quickly  run  and 
call  down  the  housemaid.  ,1  can  not  leave  the 
room  for  a  minute,"  she  added,  provoked  be- 
yond even  her  powers  of  endurance,  "but 
some  mischief  is  sure  to  occur." 

"  Mamma,  I  didn't  know  there  was  ink  in 
the  bottle,  I  only  turned  it  up  to  see  if  there 
was  any  ;  but  I'm  trying  to  wipe  it  all  up." 

"  Oh  dear  !  the  bills  !  and  your  hands  and 
pinafore ;  just  see  what  a  state  they  are  in  I 
You  must  run  up  to  Sarah  directly  I" 

"  I'll  never  do  so  any  more  !"  cried  Eddy, 
looking  at  his  blackened  fingers,  and  begin- 
ning to  whimper. 

When   the  housemaid  had  performed  her 


a  mother's  delights.  35 

office,  and  the  children  had  been  sent  up  to 
prepare  for  their  walk — happily  the  weather 
was  not  rainy — the  weary,  delicate  mother 
again  took  her  place  before  the  table,  and 
pushing  aside  the  blackened  heap  of  bills, 
which  she  had  now  hardly  a  hope  of  being- 
able  to  make  out,  she  leant  back  upon  her 
chair  and  sighed. 

"  The  children  are  too  much  for  me !"  she 
murmured  to  herself;  "  I  really  have  not  the 
strength  to  do  them  justice.  I  must  ask  Ed- 
ward to  let  me  have  a  governess.  But  no : 
how  could  I  think  of  such  a  thing,  after  the 
hint  which  he  gave  me  about  expense,  after 
his  parting  with  his  own  horse  and  gig,  and 
giving  up  the  trip  into  Wales !  He  spoke,  too, 
of  the  expense  of  keeping  George  at  school ! 
I  am  sure  that  there  is  something  weighing 
upon  his  mind ;  shall  I  add  to  it  the  burden 
of  my  petty  cares !  No,  no ;  whatever  my  dear 
husband  finds  to  annoy  him  in  the  busy, 
bustling  world,  he  must  find  his  own  home  a 
quiet  haven  of  rest.  I  must  manage  as  well 
as  I  can,  and  always  have  a  cheerful  smile  for 


36  STOEY   OF   A  NEEDLE. 

him  !  One  comfort  is,  that  George's  holidays 
are  so  near ; — my  own  boy,  what  a  welcome 
he  shall  have  !"  and  her  lips  parted  with  a 
pleasant  smile,  and  the  lines  upon  her  pale 
brow  quite  disappeared,  as  if  smoothed  down 
by  an  invisible  hand. 

'  "  This  is  odd  enough  I"  thought  I  as  I  lay 
half  out  of  the  work-box,  sticking  in  my  un- 
fortunate hem ;  "  three  children  are  more  than 
this  poor  lady  can  manage.  I  should  have 
thought  that  a  fourth  would  have  driven  her 
wild !" 


AM  not  very  sorry,"  observed  I  to  the 
Thimble,  "that  careless  Miss  Lily  has 
forgotten  to  replace  our  companion, 
Mrs.  Scissors,  in  the  box.  Her  man- 
ners are  so  sharp,  her  remarks  so  cut- 
ting, that  I  take  little  pleasure  in  her 
society." 

"  She  has  a  little  speck  of  rust  on  her,  I 
own,"  quietly  replied  my  philosophic  friend; 
"but  we  must  all  learn  to  bear  patiently  with 
the  weakness  of  others,  and  see  that  we  keep 
our  own  metal  bright." 

"You  have  no  difficulty  about  that,"  I 
observed. 

"Pardon  me,"  answered  the  Thimble;  "sil- 
ver is  not  subject  to  rust,  but  it  tarnishes,  es- 
pecially if  exposed  to  impure,  smoky  air." 
"  And  was  your  origin  as  low  as  mine  ?" 


38  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

I  inquired ;  "  were  you  also  dug  from  the 
earth  ?" 

"I  was  dug  out  of  a  mine  in  Norway  ;  I 
have  been,  like  you,  purified  in  a  furnace,  and 
exposed  to  heavy  blows  of  the  hammer." 

"  I  wonder  how  long  it  is,"  exclaimed  I, 
"  since  man  first  found  out  the  use  of  metals, 
and  employed  them  in  making  whatever  he 
requires  ?" 

"  The  use  of  metals  was  known  before  the 
time  of  the  flood,  more  than  four  thousand 
years  ago.  Tubal-Cain  is  the  name  of  the 
first  man  who  is  recorded  to  have  worked  in 
metals." 

"  Oh  !"  cried  I,  "  how  much  I  should  like  to 
know  who  it  was  who  first  invented  needles !" 

"I  daresay  that  the  invention  is  of  early 
date,"  replied  the  Thimble,  "though  the  needles 
of  ancient  times  were  probably  far  inferior  to 
the  polished,  delicate  articles  of  which  I  see  so 
fine  a  specimen  before  me.  I  have  heard 
that  needles  were  first  manufactured  in  England 
by  an  Indian,  in  the  reign  of  stout  Harry  the 
Eighth,  upwards  of  three  hundred  years  ago." 


A  PERFECT   METAL.  39 

"  Well,"  I  exclaimed  in  admiration,  "  what 
it  is  to  have  a  thimbleful  of  information !  I 
shall  always  couple  silver  and  knowledge  to- 
gether, the  best  metal  and  the  best  thing  in 
the  world  !" 

11  Ah,  there  you  are  wrong,"  said  my  bright 
companion  ;  "  there  is  a  metal  far  more  pre- 
cious than  silver',  and  a  possession  even  more 
valuable  than  knowledge.  What  is  learning 
compared  to  virtue  !  what  is  silver  compared  to 
gold!" 

"  Gold  !  what  is  that,"  said  I.  You  must 
remember  that  I  was  but  a  young  needle,  with 
little  information,  but  eager  to  obtain  more. 

"  Gold  is  what  is  called  a  perfect  metal," 
replied  the  Thimble ;  "  it  is  injured  by  neither 
fire  nor  water,  and  it  is  reckoned  of  great 
value  in  the  world.  It  is  found  chiefly  in 
South  America,  California,  and  lately  in  the 
immense  island  of  Australia." 

"  And  has  it  to  submit  to  the  hammer  as 
well  as  we  ?"  I  inquired. 

"  It  has  much  more  wonderful  power  of 
enduring  it  than  either  silver  or  steel,"   re- 


40  STOEY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

- 

plied  the  Thimble.  "  It  never  breaks  beneath 
the  heaviest  stroke,  but  it  spreads  itself  out 
beneath  it,  and  that  to  such  an  amazing  ex- 
tent that  I  have  heard  that  a  bit  of  gold  not 
so  large  as  a  half-penny  can  be  beaten  out 
into  a  wire  a  thousand  miles  long." 

I  was  not  a  little  astonished  to  hear  this, 
and  I  was  still  more  so  as  the  Thimble  pro- 
ceeded. 

"  Look  around  you  and,  even  in  this  room, 
you  will  see  wonderful  proofs  of  the  mallea- 
bility of  gold, — that  is  the  name  given  to  this 
curious  property  which  it  possesses.  See  the 
picture-frames  glittering  in  the  light,  the 
shining  pattern  on  the  paper  on  the  wall,  the 
edge  of  all  those  gaily  bound  books ;  they  owe 
their  beauty  to  a  layer  of  gold  so  thin  that 
though  that  metal  is  one  of  the  heaviest 
known,  the  gentlest  sigh  would  have  blown 
the  leaves  away." 

"  And  is  gold  useful  for  anything  but  gild- 
ing I"  said  I. 

"It  is  much  used  in  various  ways/'  she  re- 
plied ;   "  amongst  others  it  was  formerly  much 


A  PERFECT   METAL.  41 

employed  in  medicine,  and  is  now  used  in  giv- 
ing a  fine  red  colour  to  glass." 

"  And  is  this  beautiful  and  wonderful  metal 
also  dug  out  of  the  earth  ?" 

"  It  is  procured  in  some  places,"  answered 
the  Thimble,  "  by  washing  carefully  sand 
drawn  from  the  beds  of  some  rivers,  which 
is  mixed  with  particles  of. gold;  but  it  is 
chiefly  found  by  digging." 

"  Well,  then  !"  cried  I,  rather  triumphantly, 
"though  silver  aad  gold  be  both  esteemed 
more  perfect  and  more  precious  than  iron  and 
steel,  man  would  have  very  little  chance  of 
gaining  either  of  them  without  the  help  of  a 
humbler  metal !  If  silver  be  like  knowledge, 
and. virtue  like  gold,  to  what  shall  iron  be 
compared  ?" 

"  To  firm  resolution,"  said  the  Thimble, 
thoughtfully,  "  without  which  man  would  ac- 
quire little  of  either!" 


VI 
Utt  0f 


\u\hi. 


ia. 
ro 


HE  next  day  I  found  that  the  lesson  of 
J?ork  was  to  be  omitted.  Little  Miss 
Lizzie  Baker  came  to  spend  the  day 
with  my  young  mistress,  who  was, 
therefore,  excused  from  performing  her 
tasks ;  which,  I  could  not  help  imagining, 
would  be  felt  quite  as  great  a  relief  by  the 
teacher  as  by  the  pupil. 

I  was  not,  however,  to  be  left  in  complete 
idleness.  Mrs.  Ellerslie  entered  the  sitting- 
om  in  which  the  work-box  of  her  daughter 
was  kept.  She  was  dressed  in  her  bonnet 
and  shawl,  and  seeing  me  close  at  hand,  stick- 
ing in  Lily's  piece  of  work,  she  threaded  me 
with  a  piece  of  dark  silk,  and  mended  a  small 
hole  in  her  glove.  There  was  a  great  sound 
above  head,  as  of  little  feet  running  about,  and 
now  and  then  a  fretful  cry  from  the  baby.  The 


A  PIECE   OF   MISCHIEF.  43 

lady  rose  and  opened  the  door,  and  then  I 
could  plainly  distinguish  a  voice  speaking 
from  an  upper  room  in  the  house. 

"  Indeed,  Miss  Lily,  I  shall  never  get  the 
child  to  sleep  if  you  make  such  a  constant 
noise.  You've  woke  her  up  these  three  times 
already!"  t^ 

"  Lily !  Lily  !"  called  her  motnW  at  the 
foot  of  the  stairs.  Whether  her  call  was  heard 
by  the  little  lady  I  know  not,  it  certainly  was 
not  answered,  and  Mrs.  Ellerslie  had  walked 
half  way  up  to  the  nursery  before  I  heard  the 
servant  exclaiming  in  a  sharp  tone,  "  now  do 
you  be  quiet,  Miss  Lily  ;  don't  you  hear  that 
mistress  is  calling  you !" 

"You  had  better  come  to  the  drawing- 
room,  my  darlings,"  called  the  gentle  mother, 
"  and  then  nurse  can  put  poor  baby  to  sleep.  I 
am  obliged  to  go  out  to  make  purchases,  and 
to  execute  commissions  for  my  sister ;  but  I 
am  sure  that  you  will  be  good  and  happy 
while  I  am  away ;  and  do  not  be  too  noisy, 
my  pets." 

So  Lily  and  Lizzie  Baker,  a  plump,  dark- 


44  STORY    OF  A    NEEDLE. 

eyed  little  girl,  came  into  the  room,  and  seated 
themselves  on  an  ottoman,  near  the  table  on 
which  my  work-box  was  placed.  Eddy  fol- 
lowed, jumping  step  by  step  down  the  stairs, 
and  trotting  up  to  his  sister  said,  "  Lily,  won't 
you  let  me  play  with  you  ?" 

"  Oh,  we  don't  want  you  here,"  was  the 
reply ;  "  we  are  going  to  have  a  quiet  chat 
together.  Just  you  amuse  yourself  and  don't 
trouble  us." 

The  little  fellow  turned  dolefully  away, 
wrent  up  to  the  window,  and  flattened  his  nose 
against  the  pane,  looking  after  his  mother  as 
she  crossed  the  street;  soiled  his  finger  by 
drawing  lines  across  the  glass  which  he  had 
dimmed  with  his  breath  ;  then,  tired  of  that 
diversion,  tried  to  pull  off  the  little  twists  of 
wool  which  formed  the  fringe  of  the  curtain ; 
and  then  suddenly  making  up  to  the  table, 
laid  his  exploring  hand  on  the  work-box. 

"  There  now,  Eddy,  you  tormenting  boy. 
just  take  your  hands  off,"  cried  Lily,  turning 
round  just  in  time  to  prevent  its  contents 
being  scattered  on  the  floor.      She   roughly 


A  PIECE   OP  MISCHIEF.  45 

snatched  the  box  from  the  child,  and  giving 
him  something  very  much  like  a  shake,  sent 
him  half-crying  to  another  end  of  the  room. 

"He  is  the  most  mischievous  little  mon- 
key," she  said  to  her  companion ;  "  would 
you  believe  it,  he  pulled  off  the  wig  of  my 
new  doll !" 

"  I  think  that  brothers  are  great  torments," 
observed  Lizzie. 

"  Oh,  not  such  brothers  as  George,"  replied 
Lily  ;  "  he  is  always  like  sunshine  in  the  house. 
I  am  so  glad  that  he  is  coming  from  school. 
I  have  been  counting  the  days  to  the  holi- 
days."    • 

"  Well,  that's  odd,"  said  Lizzie,  "  I  always 
dread  them.  In  the  morning  of  the  day 
when  our  boys  return,  I  always  think  as  soon 
as  I  awake,  "  Dear,  dear,  we'll  have  no  more 
peace  in  the  house !'  They  are  so  noisy,  so 
rude,  so  troublesome,  so  fond  of  worrying  and 
teasing  us  girls,  I'm  sure  that  it's  a  happy  day 
for  us  when  the  coach  comes  to  take  them 
back  to  school." 

"  They  must  be  very  different  from  George. 


46  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

I  always  am  happier  when  he  is  with  me, 
and  it  seems  as  if  he  made  me  better  too." 

"  But  he  cannot  amuse  himself  with  you. 
Does  he  not  like  hocky,  and  cricket,  and  foot- 
ball, and  despise  the  diversions  of  girls  ?" 

"  He  does  like  cricket,  and  that  sort  of  thing, 
and  is  a  capital  hand  at  it  too,  but  he  does  not 
despise  playing  with  us.  I  do  not  think  that 
he  despises  anything  but  what  is  mean  or 
wrong.  You  don't  know  how  fond  little 
baby  is  of  him ;  and  as  for  Eddy,  he  is  never 
so  merry  as  when  he  is  at  romps  with  Georgie, 
or  listening  to  one  of  his  stories.  I  don't 
know  how  it  is,  but  every  one  seems  more 
happy,  and  everything  looks  brighter,  when 
Greorgie  is  at  home." 

A  funny  fancy  came  into  my  head  at  this 
moment.  I  could  not  help  recollecting  what 
the  Thimble  had  told  me  about  gold, — how 
that  metal,  which  is  so  weighty  and  precious, 
yet  can  be  spread  into  leaves  so  thin  as  to 
brighten  the  paper  on  the  wall  and  adorn  the 
leaves  of  the  book.  I  wondered  if  there  were 
anything  like  this  to  be  found  in  human  life  ; 


A  PIECE   OF   MISCHIEF.  47 

if  the  precious  thing  called  virtue,  which  my 
companion  had  likened  to  gold,  could  also  be 
found  to  extend  to  trifles,  and  in  the  smaller 
occurrences  of  life  show  its  power  to  brighten 
and  adorn.  It  was  an  odd  idea,  bat  it  arose 
from  what  I  heard  Lily  say  that  morning  of 
her  brother ;  and  when  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  watching  George  myself,  it  recurred  to  me 
again  and  again. 

So  the  young  ladies  sat  there  chatting  and 
diverting  themselves  for  an  hour  or  more, 
playing  at  cat's-cradle,  comparing  their  dolls, 
telling  stories  of  the  past,  and  building  castles 
in  the  air  for  the  future.  Eddy  more  than 
once  broke  in  on  their  tete-d-tete,  but  was  told 
to  go  away,  and  not  disturb  them.  Driven  to 
his  own  resources,  the  child  rode  round  the 
room  on  a  footstool ;  but  this  amusement  was 
stopped,  as  being  too  noisy.  He  then  kicked 
his  heels  for  some  time  on  the  sofa,  till,  finding 
the  occupation  tiresome,  he  made  the  discov- 
ery of  a  little  hole  in  a  cushion,  from  which  he 
managed  to  abstract  several  tiny  feathers, 
which  amused  him  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 


48  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

Then  I  watched  him, — for  no  eye  seemed  to 
watch  him  bnt  mine, — when  he  wearily  saun- 
tered to  the  other  side  of  the  room,  and  fixed 
his  round  eyes  upon  an  instrument  which,  as 
I  have  since  learned,  is  called  a  thermometer. 
He  stared  up  at  this,  till  his  curiosity  grew 
strong.  He  dragged,  with  some  labor,  a  chair 
to  the  spot,  and  scrambling  up  upon  the  seat, 
brought  his  face  to  a  level  with  the  glass.  He 
put  out  his  hand  and  touched  the  round  ball 
at  the  bottom  of  the  instrument,  examining  it 
like  any  little  philosopher ;  he  then  pressed  it 
a  little  harder,  I  suppose,  for  I  saw  the  child 
give  a  slight  start,  as  if  some  mischief  had 
been  done,  and  then  scrambled  from  the  chair 
faster  than  he  had  gone  up,  and  threw  himself 
down  on  the  floor. 

Glancing  up  at  the  thermometer,  I  could 
see  that  the  little  silver  ball  had  disappeared ; 
but  I  was  at  a  loss  to  account  for  Eddy's  move- 
ments now,  as,  half  stretched  on  the  carpet, 
leaning  on  one  elbow,  he  seemed  to  be  at- 
tempting to  pick  up  something  which  eluded 
his  grasp,  pouncing  down  his  hand  now  here,. 


A  PIECE   OF   MISCHIEF.  49 

now  there,  and  laughing  to  himself  merrily  all 
the  while. 

"  I  think  it's  alive,"  he  said  softly;  "how 
funnily  it  runs  about  when  I  try  to  get  hold 
of  it !"  and,  opening  his  mouth,  he  stooped 
closer  to  the  ground,  as  though  to  draw  up 
with  his  lips'  the  something  which  always 
slipped  from  his  fingers.  He  was  startled  by 
a  frightened  exclamation  from  his  mother, 
who  at  this  moment  entered  the  room. 

'"Eddy,  my  child !  oh,  don't  touch  that  !— 
it's  quicksilver — poison — it  might  kill  you. 
Oh,  what  a  mercy  that  I  came  jast  in  time!" 
and  weary,  agitated,  and  alarmed,  the  poor 
lady  drew  him  close  to  her  bosom  and  wept. 

"  Mamma!"  exclaimed  the  child,  frightened 
at  her  tears,  "  I  didn't  mean — I  didn't  know — 
it  looked  so  funny;  I  never  will  do  so  any  more." 

"  Oh,.  Lily,  Lily!"  cried  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  with 
something  of  bitterness  in  her  tone,  as  both 
the  little  girls  hurried  to  her  side,  "  could  you 
not  have  looked  a  little  after  your  brother? 
If  I  had  returned  but  one  minute  later,  your 
carelessness  might  have  cost  the  life  of  my 
child." 


0 


VII. 

%\t  f  ibJls  Ittsl. 

!a)hat  was  that  extraordinary  metal," 
cried  I,  "  which  I  took  for  a  ball 
of  silver,  till  I  saw  the  drops  run- 
ning about  on  the  carpet  ?" 

"  Ha  !  ha  !"  laughed  the  spite- 
ful old  Scissors,  which,  speck  of  rust  and  all, 
had  been  replaced  in  the  box,  "  you  never  saw 
the  solemn  philosopher,  Mrs.  Thimble,  ever 
cutting  a  dance  like  that !" 

"  The  lady  called  it  quicksilver,"  I  ob- 
served. "  Was  it,  then,  no  relation  of  my 
friend's  ?" 

"  Eelation  I"  again  exclaimed  the  Scissors  ; 
"  a  relation  that  would  eat  her,  rim,  top,  and 
all ;  make  holes  for  her  knowledge  to  run  out 
of !     Quicksilver  is  a  dangerous  neighbor." 

"Dangerous  both  to  metal  and  to  man," 
quietly  rejoined  my  learned  companion.     "  Its 


A  LIVELY  METAL.  51 

power  can  dissolve  both  silver  and  gold  ;  and 
to  the  human  species  it  acts  as  a  powerful 
poison." 

"I  wonder  tbat  thej  do  not  leave  it  alone, 
if  it  does  such  mischief,"  said  I. 

"Do  you  not  know,"  replied  my  friend, 
"that  reason  and  knowledge  can  find  valuable 
uses  even  in  those  things  which  at  first  sight 
appear  only  hurtful  ?  From  quicksilver,  also, 
called  mercury,  a  medicine  is  prepared,  which, 
under  the  name  of  calomel,  has  helped  to  pre- 
serve many  a  life." 

"How  strange!"  I  exclaimed;  "medicine 
and  poison,  safety  and  danger,  both  from  the 
same  curious  metal !  But  is  it  always  a  liquid 
like  that  ?" 

"Oh,  no!"  replied  the  Thimble;  "mixed 
with  other  metals,  it  becomes  staid  and  quiet 
enough.  Look  at  that  beautiful  mirror  in  the 
gilded  frame,  which  reflects  every  object  in 
the  room.  To  what,  think  you,  does  it  owe 
its  beauty  ?  To  an  amalgam  (that  is  the  title 
given  to  the  mixture) — an  amalgam  of  mer- 
cury and  tin,  which  lines  the  glass  at  the  back." 


52  STORY   OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"  And  makes  it  a  pretty  aid  to  vanity  and 
folly,"  said  the  broken-pointed  Scissors,  with 
bitterness.  "  If  there  is  one  thing  which  silly 
mortals  like  better  than  another,  it  is  to  look 
at  their  own  faces  in  a  glass." 

"  If  mercury  has  often  ministered  to  vanity 
and  folly,"  said  the  Thimble,  "  I  remember 
bearing  of  one  curious  instance  where  it  served 
to  mortify  them  both.  A  dashing  lady,  who 
was  absurd  enough  to  try  to  increase  her 
beauty  by  covering  her  yellow  complexion 
with,  a  delicate  coating  of  white  paint,  ono%> 
visited  a  quicksilver  mine.  She  must  havff 
felt  it  strange  to  find  herself  in  that  gloomy 
place,  where  the  sickly  miners,  by  the  glare 
of  torch-light,  pursue  their  unwholesome  oc- 
cupation." 

"  Why  should  it  be  unwholesome  ?"  I  asked. 

"  Because  mercury  is  of  that  poisonous 
nature,  that  it  is  said  that  those  employed  to' 
procure  it  seldom  live  longer  than  two  years 
in  the  mine." 

"  I  should  think  that  after  learning  that," 
observed  I,  "  the  dashing  lady  would  have  a 


A  LIVELY  METAL.  53 

feeling   of  pain  when  next  she  looked  in  a 
mirror." 

"Probably  she  had,"  replied  the  Thimble, 
"  but  from  a  different  cause.  While  she  had 
been  examining  the  mine,  she  little  thought 
of  the  strange  effect  which  the  mercury  would 
have  on  the  paint  which  covered  her  face. 
She  entered  the  place  white  like  a  lily ;  she 
left  it  black  like  a  Negro !" 

The  idea  of  the  poor  lady  with  her  black 
face  mightily  tickled  the  fancy  of  the  Scissors, 
who  wished  that  she  had  been  there  to  see  her. 
But  my  curiosity  about  the  strange  metal  mer- 
cury was  not  quite  satisfied  yet. 
*  "  What  was  the  use  of  that  instrument  hung 
on  the  wall,  where  the  quicksilver  lay  in  its 
little  glass  ball,  till  Master  Eddy  broke  its 
prison,  and  set  it  free?" 

"  That  instrument  is  called  a  thermometer. 
It  is-  employed  to  measure  the  heat  of  the 
weather." 

"  I  cannot  imagine  how  it  can  do  that." 

"  It  is  the  nature  of  mercury  to  expand — 
that  is,  grow  bigger — whenever  it  is  exposed 
5* 


54  STORY   OF  A  NEEDLE. 

to  heat.  At  the  top  of  the  glass  ball  there  is 
a  slender  glass  tube.  When  the  weather  is 
warm  the  mercury  swells  ;  and  the  ball  being 
too  small  to  hold  it,  it  is  forced  up  the  tube 
to  a  greater  or  less  height,  according  to  the 
amount  of  the  heat." 

"Then,  if  plunged  into  boiling  water,  the 
mercury  would  rise  very  high  indeed." 

"  And  plunged  into  ice,  it  would  siok  very 
low." 

"  Would  it  ever  squeeze  itself  down  into  a 
solid  ?"  said  I. 

11  You  mean,  would  it  freeze  as  water  does  ? 
It  requires  very,  very,  intense  cold  to  freeze 
mercury  ;  but  it  is  not  impossible  to  do  it. 
I  have  heard  the  master  of  the  shop  in  which 
I  lay  unsold  for  years,  who  was  himself  some- 
thing of  a  philosopher,  and  from  whose  con- 
versation with  others  I  have  learned  the  little 
that  I  know ;  I  have  heard  him  say  that  he 
has  seen  quicksilver  frozen  quite  hard,  so  that 
even  a  medal  was  made  of  it :  but  it  was  not 
from  the  mere  effect  of  winter  weather." 

"  And,  of  course    if  any  one  had  put  the 


A   LIVELY   METAL.  55 

metal  into  his  warm  pocketj  it  would  have 
begun  to  run  about  again  direct!}7.  The  best 
way  to  keep  it  quiet  seems  to  be  to  make  an 
am —  What  did  you  call  its  mixture  with 
some  other  metal  ?" 

u  Amalgam,"  replied  the  Thimble. 

"  Ah,  yes !  behind  the  mirror  is  an  amalgam 
of  quicksilver  and  tin." 

"  Like  energy  united  with  common  sense." 

"And  taught  to  reflect"  added  the  Scissors. 


VIII. 

I  a  rlting   t\j  §ftf- 

^)HE  next  day's  lessons  passed  over  with 
the  usual  amount  of  weariness  on  the 


part  of  the  teacher,  dullness  on  that  of 
little  Eddy,  and  carelessness  on  that 
of  his  sister.  It  was  with  great  diffi- 
culty that  Mrs.  Ellerslie  could  keep  the  atten- 
tion of  Lily  to  the  tasks  which  she  had  to 
learn.  The  thoughts  of  the  little  girl  were 
constantly  wandering,  now  to  her  brother,  now 
to  her  play,  now  to  some  project  in  her  mind, 
while  she  tried  the  patience  of  her  mother 
almost  as  much  by  the  numerous  little  bad 
habits  which  seemed  to  spring  up  like  weeds 
in  neglected  ground. 

"  Lily,  do  hold  up  your  head ! — My  child, 
you  must  not  stand  upon  one  foot! — Little 
girls  ought  not  to  bite  their  lips! — What! 
you  have  been  at  your  nails  again  !"  Such 
were  the  sentences  which,  from  the  lips  of  the 


PACKING  THE  BOX.  57 

anxious  parent,  constantly  interrupted  the 
course  of  the  studies.  I  began  to  wonder 
whether  little  girls  could  find  any  peculiar 
enjoyment  in  biting  their  finger  ends, — 
whether  they  thought  it  becoming  to  look 
hunchbacked,  or  merely  delighted  in  teasing 
their  teachers,  and  defeating  the  efforts  of 
those  who  love  them,  to  make  them  lady-like 
and  agreeable.  As  I  am  a  needle,  and  not  a 
litle  girl,  I  cannot  tell  which  of  these  three 
motives  it  was  that  influenced  the  conduct  of 
Lily.  If  any  of  my  young  readers  ever  fol- 
low her  example,  I  beg  them  to  decide  the 
question. 

At  length  lessons  were  finished,  and  the 
tired  teacher  was  free,  but  not  to  rest.  Oh,  no ! 
but  to  pack  up  a  box  for  her  sister  in  India, 
which  must  be  despatched  before  one. 

"Now,  my  darlings,  run  up  and  get  ready 
for  your  walk." 

Lily  sauntered  slowly  up  to  the  window; 
"  Oh !  I'm  so  glad !  it's  raining  fast  I"  said  she. 
"  I  have  something  that  I  particularly  want  to 
do.     See  mamma,  what  Lizzie  gave  me  yes- 


58  STOEY   OF   A  NEEDLE. 

terday !"  And  she  drew,  from  a  little  pocket 
in  her  dress,  a  very  small  parcel,  and,  opening 
it,  displayed  to  view  a  reel  of  bright,  glittering 
gold  tbread. 

"  Very  pretty  ;  and  what  will  you  make  of 
it,  my  dear  ?"  said  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  kindly  paus- 
ing in  her  occupation  of  clearing  away  school- 
books  and  slates,  Lily  never  dreaming  of 
offering  her  assistance. 

"I'm  going  to  ornament  a  penwiper  for 
George,"  replied  the  child;  "don't  you  think 
that  it  will  please  him  very  much?  May  I 
stay  here  and  work  it  beside  you?" 

Mrs.  Ellerslie  nodded  her  head  in  assent,  but 
looked  a  little  grave ;  perhaps  she  would  have 
preferred  being  left  for  an  hour  in  quiet,  and 
had  some  idea  what  the  permission  would  cost 
her. 

"  And  may  I  stay  here,  too,  mamma  ?"  in- 
quired Eddy.  "  I  want  to  look  at  you  pack- 
ing all  these  things.  Do  let  me  stay,  darling 
mamma  I" 

She  could  not  resist  his  entreaty ;  so  there 
he  pretty  quietly  stood,  watching  his  mother 


PACKING  THE  BOX.  59 

as  she  hastily  spread  the  table  with  various 
parcels,  brown  paper,  oil-skin,  a  tin  box,  and 
string. 

"Mamma,"  said  Lily,  standing  on  one  foot, 
with  the  golden  thread  dangling  from  her 
hand,  "don't  you  think  that  this  will  look 
well  upon  a  dark  ground  ?" 

"Yes,  my  love,"  answered  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  her 
voice  half  drowned  in  the  rustling  of  paper. 

"  Mamma,  do  you  think  blue  or  green  would 
look  best?"  M. 

"  I  really  cannot  think  about  it  at  all  just 
now.  My  box  must  be  ready  before  one. 
Now,  my  Eddy,  you  must  not  open  the 
parcels  1" 

"  I  was  just  peeping  in  a  little,  mamma." 

"  Don't  come  to  the  table,  my  sweet  boy ! 
Mamma  is  very  busy  indeed." 

Eddy  trotted  off  without  saying  another 
word. 

"  Mamma,"  began  Lily  again,  "  do  you  think 
that  you  have  a  bit  of  dark-blue  cloth  or  vel- 
vet, whichever  you  please,  to  give  me  for  the 
sides  of  my  penwiper  ?" 


60  STORY   OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"I  daresay  I  have  some  up  stairs  in  my 
wardrobe." 

"  Could  I  go  and  get  it,  mamma?" 

"  No ;  you  know  that  I  never  allow  you  to 
search  there,"  said  the  lady,  who  having  lined 
the  bright  tin  box  with  paper,  was  trying 
every  possible  position  in  which  an  awkward- 
shaped  parcel  could  take  up  least  room. 

Lily  remained  silent  for  a  few  minutes,  bnt 
without  occupying  herself  with  anything  bnt 
the  thought  how  she  could  persuade  her  mother 
to  give  her  at  once  what  she  had  set  her  heart 
npon  obtaining.  At  length  she  cautiously 
commenced  with  "  I  am  rather  in  a  hurry  to 
begin." 

"I  will  look  out  the  piece  for  you  when 
next  I  go  up  stairs." 

Lily  gave  a  very  audible  sigh. 

"  This  would  be  just  the  time  for  working," 
murmured  she. 

"  I  shall  have  no  peace  till  I  get  it  for  the 
child  1"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  half  to  her- 
self; and  the  too  indulgent  mother  left  her 
parcels  and  her  box,  to  commence  a  search  for 


PACKING  THE  BOX.  61 

some  small  remnants  of  cloth,  which,  to  judge 
by  the  length  of  her  absence,  she  had  a  good 
deal  of  trouble  in  finding. 

"  Now  do  not  interrupt  me  any  more,"  she 
said,  as  she  placed  them  in  the  eager  hand  of 
Lily,  and  turned,  by  more  active  exertions,  to 
make  up  for  the  time  she  had  lost. 

The  girl  bore  them  off  in  triumph  to  her 
work-box ;  but  here  a  new  difficulty  arose. 
She  snipped  off  this  corner  and  that  corner,  by 
the  'aid  of  Mrs.  Scissors,  but  could  not  satisfy 
herself  with  the  shape.  Again  she  approached 
her  mother  at  the  table  :  "  Please  to  make  me 
a  good  round,  mamma.  I  have  tried,  but  I 
cannot  do  it  myself." 

"  You  can  wait  a  little,  my  dear."  Mrs. 
Ellerslie  was  pressing  down  the  lid  of  the  box, 
which  seemed  evidently  determined  not  to 
close,  and  she  looked  certainly  heated  and 
tired. 

Again  I  heard  that  naughty  impatient  sigh ; 
again  the  tender  mother  yielded  to  importu- 
nity :  the  round  was  cut  out,  and  a  minute's 

peace  secured. 

6 


62  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"Where's  the  string?"  said  Mrs.  Ellerslie, 
quickly,  moving  the  box,  lifting  paper,  glanc- 
ing under  the  table.  The  lines  on  her' fore- 
head were  plain  enough  now. 

Lily  was  busily  employed  trying  to  force 
the  bright  golden  thread  through  my  little 
eye.  I  saw  plainly  that  she  could  never  suc- 
ceed, and  I  felt  exceedingly  mortified;  for 
what  could  be  a  higher  object  of  ambition  to 
a  needle  than  to  be  threaded  with  gold?  Lily 
saw  that  her  mother  was  hunting  and  search- 
ing for  the  lost  piece  of  string,  but  she  never 
stirred  to  assist  her. 

11  Where  can  it  be?  I'm  sure  that  I  brought 
some  down !  Where  can  I  have  laid  the 
string  ?" 

"  Here  it  is !"  cried  Eddy,  suddenly  be- 
coming aware  that  his  mother  wanted  some- 
thing which  he  had  himself  carried  off.  He 
had  been  quietly  amusing  himself  in  his  cor- 
ner, tying  chairs,  stool,  sofa,  and  bell-rope 
together,  with  a  liberal  expenditure  of  string 
and  a  very  large  allowance  of  tight  knots. 

It  was  Mrs.  Ellerslie's  turn  to  be  impatient. 


PACKING  THE  BOX.  63 

as,  hastily  endeavoring  to  undo  the  child's 
work,  she  exclaimed,  "How  on  earth  shall  I 
unfasten  all  this!" 

"  It's  my  harness,  mamma,  and  these  are 
my  horses  !  Oh !  are  you  vexed  ?"  he  added, 
looking  up  in  her  face,  and  reading,  from 
her  harassed  expression,  that  he  had  again 
been  guilty  of  causing  her  trouble.  "I'm  very 
sorry,  mamma  :  I'll  never  do  so  any  more !" 

Even  in  the  midst  of  her  hurry,  the  gentle 
mother  stooped  down  to  give  him  a  kiss.  She 
had  another  hurried  run  up  stairs  to  bring 
more  string,  for  she  bad  not  the  spare  time  to 
undo  all  his  knots ;  but  no  angry  word  passed 
her  lips.  She  let  Eddy  stand  beside  her  at 
the  table,  even  trusted  him  to  hold  a  match 
which  she  had  lighted,  and  employed  him  to 
ring  the  bell. 

"I  am  so  glad  that  it  is  done  at  last!" 
cried  the  lady,  sinking  wearily  on  the  sofa,  as 
the  box — it  was  barely  packed  in  time — was 
carried  by  a  servant  from  the  room. 

"And  I  helped  you,  mamma!"  said  Eddy, 
proudly. 


64  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"I  shall  never  manage  this  I"  cried  Lily, 
impatiently.  "Oh!  the  tiresome  needle  I — 
stupid  thread !" 

"  I  am  at  leisure  now,"  said  her  mother : 
"bring  your  work  to  me,  my  dear  child." 

"  One  would  need  a  bodkin  to  hold  such 
great  coarse  cord I"  exclaimed  Lily. 

"What  a  name  to  give  to  the  most  delicate, 
flexible  thread  which  had  ever  employed  the 
ingenuity  of  man  to  beat  out  from  a  single 
grain  of  gold ! 

"  If  you  had  waited  a  little,  I  should  have 
shown  you  what  to  do.  The  gold  thread  must 
not  be  passed  through  the  thick  cloth  at  all, 
but  be  fastened  down  to  it  with  a  little  fine 
cotton.  Thread  your  needle,  and  I  will  show 
you  the  way." 

Oh,  the  patience  and  love  of  a  mother ! 
Alas  !  that  it  should  often  be  met,  if  not  with 
actual  ingratitude,  yet  with  that  selfish  want 
of  consideration  which'receives  every  kindness 
as  a  matter  of  course,  and  never  makes  the 
smallest  sacrifice  in  return ! 


IX. 

F  what  a  fine  bright  metal  that  box  is 
made,"  said  I ;  "I  should  almost  have 
taken  it  for  silver." 

"  Your  learned  friend  here  would 
be  shocked  to  be  mentioned  in  the 
same  breath  with  tin  V  observed  the  Scis- 
sors. 

"  Far  from  it,"  said  the  bright  silver  Thim- 
ble. "If  usefulness  to  man  gives  value  to 
metal,  few  can  rank  more  highly  than  tin. 
England  owes  to  it  her  earliest  fame  ;  for  long- 
before  her .  flag  waved  o'er  distant  seas — long 
before  her  conquering  armies  trod  foreign 
shores,  while  her  fields  were  wild  deserts,  and 
her  people  barbarians,  the  Phoenicians  sought 
her  coasts  for  tin,  for  which  her  mines  in 
Cornwall  are  y et  famous." 

"  Ah !  I  remember,"  I  observed,  "that  it  is 
6* 


66  STOKY   OF  A  NEEDLE. 

when  mixed  with  tin  that  mercury  forms  the 
amalgam  used  for  the  backs  of  mirrors." 

"  Mercury  is  not  the  only  metal  which  unites 
in  a  friendly  manner  with  tin.  Joined  to  cop- 
per, it  becomes  bronze,  of  which  those  pretty 
chimney-piece  ornaments  are  made  ;  and  pew- 
ter, so  useful  to  the  poor,  comes  from  tin 
united  with  lead.  It  is  also  very  commonly 
used  to  line  copper  pots  and  pans,  which, 
without  such  a  coating  of  tin,  might  poison 
the  food  which  they  contain." 

"  Poison  !"  I  exclaimed  in  surprise. 

"  Yes,  many  serious  accidents  have  arisen 
from  the  tin  lining  wearing  away  from  cook- 
ing vessels  made  of  copper.  The  rust  of  cop- 
per is  called  verdigris ;  it  is  of  a  bright  green 
color,  and  of  a  most  poisonous  nature." 

"  Ah !"  said  the  Scissors,  "  that  accounts 
for  our  good  lady's  alarm,  when  she  found  one 
morning,  about  two  years  ago,  Master  Eddy 
sucking  a  copper  half-penny  !  A  precious 
deal  of  trouble  that  young  gentleman  has 
given  her.  He's  as  active  as  quicksilver,  and 
as  mischievous." 


GOLD   ON  A  DARK  GROUND.  67 

"  Pity  that  we  can't  make  an  amalgam  of 
him,"  laughed  I,  "  and  teach  the  little  rogue 
to  reflect." 

"  He,  Miss  Lily,  and  the  baby,  are  killing 
their  mother  by  inches  between  them,"  said 
the  Scissors. 

I  felt  rather  afraid  that  she  spoke  truth, 
when  I  saw  how  faint  and  exhausted  the  poor 
lady  appeared,  when  at  length  she  found  a  few 
minutes  for  repose.  She  looked  so  very  thin 
and  so  pale,  as  she  stretched  herself  on  the 
sofa,  when  the  light  of  day  began  to  grow 
dim.  She  opened  a  book  with  gilt  edges, 
which  I  had  observed  to  be  her  favorite  com- 
panion, and  which  my  friend  had  told  me  was, 
as  she  believed,  a  great  mine  from  which  man 
drew  all  the  virtue  which  he  possessed.  She 
read  a  little,  until  her  worn,  anxious  face  as- 
sumed a  peaceful  expression.  She  raised  her 
eyes,  and  looked  upwards ;  I  thought  that 
they  were  moistened  with  tears ;  and  her  pale 
lips  silently  moved,  as  if  she  were  speaking  to 
some  unseen  friend.  Then  she  shut  the  book, 
and  placed  it  beside  her,  and  her  blue  eyes 


68  STOEY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

languidly  closed  ;  and  she  lay  so  still,  so  very- 
still,  that  she  looked  as  though  she  never 
would  move  again. 

The  sound  of  the  opening  of  the  outer  door 
seemed  to  awaken  her  in  a  moment.  She 
started  up  with  quite  a  changed  look,  so 
bright,  so  animated,  so  cheerful ;  passed  her 
hand  hastily  over  her  hair  to  smooth  it,  and 
then  ran  out  of  the  room  :  and  I  heard  her 
voice  below  in  lively  tones  giving  a  fond  wel- 
come to  her  husband. 

It  must  have  been  difficult,  however,  for 
the  poor  lady  to  keep  up  a  cheerful  manner 
in  his  presence.  I  never  saw  so  gloomy  a 
man.  It  was  in  vain  that  she  troubled  him 
not  with  a  single  care  of  her  own — that  she 
spoke  not  a  word  of  her  failing  health,  her 
difficulties  with  servants,  her  troubles  about 
the  bills,  her  ceaseless  anxieties  with  the  chil- 
dren. I  watched  him  where  I  lay  beside  my 
thread  of  gold;  for  Lily's  habit  of  filling  her 
box  so  full,  that  she  never  even  attempted  to 
close  it,  gave  me  constant  opportunities  of 
looking  about  me,  and  seeing  what  passed  in 


GOLD  ON  A  DARK  GROUND.  69 

the  room.  When  the  children  were  called 
down  to  see  their  father,  the  stern  gloom  on 
his  face  never  changed.  Even  when  his  wife 
placed  little  Eosey  in  his  arms,  he  kissed  her 
soft  cheek  with  an  air  so  sad,  that  the  babe, 
half  frightened,  held  out  her  hands  to  be 
taken  back  to  her  mother.  Lily  could  not 
win  his  attention  at  all,  and  left  the  room  mor- 
tified and  vexed  ;  and  Eddy  received  no  an- 
swer when  he  said,  "  Are  you  not  glad  that 
Greorgie  is  coming  home  to-morrow  ?" 

"  I'm  sure  that  there's  something  the  matter 
with  that  man,"  said  the  Thimble,  when  the 
sound  of  the  dinner-bell  had  cleared  the 
room. 

11  There's  something  weighing  oq  his  heart, 
you  may  be  sure,"  observed  the  Scissors,  "for 
he  used  to  be  as  merry  as  a  child.  I've  seen 
him  galloping  up  and  down  this  very  room, 
with  Master  Eddy  perched  upon  his  shoulders, 
and  Lily  scampering  at  his  heels ;  and  it  would 
have  puzzled  even  our  sharp  friend  the 
Needle  to  say  which  was  the  liveliest  of  the 
three." 


70  STOKY    OF   A    NEEDLE. 

"He's  in  trouble,  then,"  said  the  Thimble; 
"  I've  seen  enough  of  life  to  know  that  mor- 
tals have  their  trials,  which  are  to  them  as  the 
hammer  and  the  furnace  to  us." 

The  opinion  of  our  philosophic  friend  was 
confirmed  that  evening,  as,  when  the  lamp  was 
lighted,  and  the  curtains  drawn,  and  the  chil- 
dren all  quiet  in  bed,  the  husband  and  wife 
sat  together  in  deep,  earnest  conversation. 

"  You  will  hide  nothing  from  me,  my  be- 
loved," said  the  lady,  laying  her  hand  fondly 
on  his,  and  looking  anxiously  into  his  face. 
"  I  have  felt  for  a  long  time  that  something 
was  wrong ;  suspense  is  worse  than  the  truth 
could  be.  I  can  bear  all,  all  but  to  see  you 
unhappy,  and  not  be  able  to  lighten,  or  at 
least  share  your  trials !" 

He  drew  her  closer  to  him.  I  could  not 
see  his  face ;  it  was  turned  from  the  place 
where  I  lay ;  and  he  spoke  so  low,  in  a  hoarse, 
agitated  voice,  that  I  could  catch  but  few  of 
his  words.  They  were  such  as  "  ruin,"  "bank- 
ruptcy," "  poverty  ;"  the  meaning  of  which  I 
could  scarcely  comprehend;    but  I  saw  the 


GOLD  ON  A  DAEK  GROUND.  71 

lady's  clieek  grow  very  pale,  though  her  man- 
ner was  quiet  and  composed. 

"  Well,  dearest,"  she  said  softly  at  length, 
"  there  are  far  greater  trials  than  poverty.  It 
will  only  draw  us  closer  together.  I  can  be 
happy  in  a  very  small  abode — a  cabin,  a  hut 
— so  that  my  dear  husband  and  children  are 
with  me.  I  will  be  Kosey's  nurse  myself. 
We  can  manage  on  little ;  so  little,  you  shall 
see  what  a  housewife  I  shall  be  !" 

11  Ah!"  thought  I,  as  I  looked  on  that  sweet, 
loving  face,  "  the  gold  indeed  looks  brightest 
on  the  dark  ground,  and  virtue  most  lovely  in 
affliction." 

"  It  may  not  come  to  that ;  all  may  yet  be 
well,"  said  the  husband,  rising  and  pacing  up 
and  down  the  room.  "  If  I  could  only  meet 
the  present  difficulty  !  A  loan  at  this  time 
would  keep  us  all  afloat ;  one  good  friend  at 
this  crisis  might  save  us." 

"  George  Hardcastle,"  suggested  the  lady. 

"  I  have  thought  of  him  a  thousand  times," 
replied  her  husband,  stopping  in  his  agitated 
walk.     "He  is  rolling  in  wealth;  he  is  gen- 


72  STOKY    OF   A    NEEDLE. 

erous ;  lie  is  our  cousin  ;  our  boy  was  named 
after  Mm.  But  then — "  He  paused,  and 
looked  at  his  wife. 

"  We  have  quarrelled  with  him." 

11 1  have  quarrelled  with  him.  We  have 
not  met  for  months.  I  could  not  stoop  to 
write  to  him  now." 

"  Not  for  your  children's  sake  ?"  said  the 
mother,  rising  and  laying  her  hand  on  his  arm. 
"  Oh,  Edward,  we  must  think  of  our  helpless 
babes  !  Even  if  he  refused  to  lend  money  to 
you,  he  might,  I  think  that  he  would,  do  some- 
thing for  our  George." 

Mr.  Ellerslie  uttered  a  sigh  that  was  almost 
a  groan,  and  threw  himself  down  on  his  chair. 

"  It  seems  to  me  as  though  we  should  lose 
no  time,"  continued  his  anxious  wife,  "so 
much  is  at  stake  !  Let's  see :  this  is  Wednes- 
day," she  continued/pressing  her  hand  on  her 
forehead.  "I  think  there  are  two  posts  to 
Bristol ;  if  we  wrote  at  once,  we  might  have 
an  answer  on  Friday.  Edward,  when  all 
depends  on  it,  why  should  there  be  one  hour's 
delay?" 


GOLD   ON  A  DARK  GEOUND.  73 

I  could  see  that  it  went  sorely  against  the 
will  of  Mr.  Ellerslie  to  yield  to  the  persuasions 
of  his  wife.  It  seemed  to  me,  from  words 
that  dropped  from  him,  that  he  was  conscious 
of  having  behaved  ill  towards  his  cousin ;  that 
he  regarded  Mr.  Hardcastle  with  a  feeling  of 
dislike,  and  almost  preferred  remaining  in  dif- 
ficulties to  asking  assistance  from  him.  I  saw, 
though  no  mortal  ever  saw  it,  that  Mrs.  Ellers- 
lie, had  a  good  deal  to  endure  from  her  hus- 
band, however  dear  she  might  be' to  his  heart. 
What  patience  she  required,  what  earnest  per- 
suasion, to  induce  his  proud  spirit  to  bend  so 
far  as  to  write  at  all  to  his  offended  relative  ! 
And  then,  when  the  desk  was  opened,  what 
a  painful  task  was  hers  to  make  him  write 
what  would  not  offend,  to  alter  sentences  and 
soften  expressions,  and  stoop  to  explain  the 
greatness  of  his  need.  Often  the  ink  dried  on 
the  pen,  twice  was  the  half- written  sheet  pushed 
angrily  away,  and  bitter  things  were  uttered, 
even  to  her  whose  every  look  and  every  tone 
was  love.  I  scarcely  believed  that  the  letter 
would  ever  be  finished.  But  finished  it  was  at 
1 


74  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

last ;  and  Mr.  Ellerslie  hastily  quitted  the  room, 
impatient  with  his  wife,  with  himself,  with  all 
the  world ! 

The  lady  took  the  sealed  letter  in  her  trem- 
ulous grasp,  folded  her  hands,  and  again  looked 
upwards  :  again  her  lips  moved ;  and  this  time 
the  big  tears  rolled  slowly  down  her  cheeks. 

"  We  must  do  all  that  we  can,"  she  faintty 
murmured  to  herself.  "  The  hearts  of  men  are 
in  His  hands.  We  must  leave  no  proper 
means  untried,  and  then  commit  all  to  a  higher 
Power." 


y 


X. 

fir*  Sr|j0jffI&0B's  $ttntn. 

jONSIDERING  the  heavy  weight  of 

care  which  I  knew  lay  on  the  heart  of 

the  lady,  it  was  wonderful  to  me  how 

quietly  she  weDt  through  the  ceaseless 

petty  trials  of  her  life. 

Lily  and  Eddy  came  as  usual  to  their  lessons 

next  morning,  the  former  with  her  dress  a  good 

deal  torn. 

"Please,  mamma,  nurse  says  that  I  want  a 
new  frock." 

"  It  is  not  long  since  I  purchased  this,  Lily. 
You  must  have  treated  it  very  carelessly  in- 
deed," replied  the  mother,  looking  somewhat 
grave. 

"Oh!  it's  poor  stuff!"  cried  Lily,  giving  a 
little  pull,  which  confirmed  her  assertion,  by 
making  the  rent  a  good  deal  wider. 

"  There  is  no  use  in  making  it  wider,  Lily. 


76  STOHY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

I  cannot  afford  to  be  buying  now  clothes.  "We 
must  do  the  best  we  can  with  the  old." 

"  Nurse  says  that  she  has  no  time  for 
mending." 

"  I  think  that  these  lazy  little  fingers  might 
make  themselves  useful/'  said  Mrs.  Ellerslie, 
with  a  gentle  smile;  "those  who  mar  things 
ought  at  least  to  mend  them." 

"  I  cannot  mend  such  a  frock  !" 

"Then  /must,"  said  the  lady. 

Lily  glanced  at  her  mother's  face  for  a  mo- 
ment ;  perhaps  she  saw  something  there  that 
pricked  her  conscience  a  little,  for  she  said  in 
an  altered  tone,  "Dear  mamma,  I  should  like 
to  be  useful,  but  I  do  not  like  mending  at 
all!" 

"  Nor  do  I,  my  love,"  answered  her  mother. 

There  was  nothing  more  said  on  the  subject 
at  that  time.  The  lessons  proceeded  as  usual. 
Lily,  whose  thoughts  were  very  full  of  the 
expected  arrival  of  her  brother,  broke  off  sev- 
eral times  in  the  midst  of  her  tasks,  when  she 
heard  the  sound  of  a  carriage,  and  rushed  to 
the  window,  whither  she  always  was  followed 


THE   SCHOOLBOY'S  RETURN.  77 

by  Eddy,  though  assured  each  time  that  it 
was  impossible  that  George  could  arrive  till 
after  early  dinner. 

If  Lily  had  known  all  that  I  knew,  I  can 
not  but  think  that  for  once  she  would  have 
shown  some  consideration  for  the  teacher, 
whose  mind  was  so  full  of  troubles  and  cares  ; 
I  cannot  but  think  that  she  would  have 
known  her  verse  correctly,  held  up  her  head, 
and  kept  her  finger-ends  still ; '  but,  as  it  was, 
the  old  story  was  repeated  again,  and  when 
lesson-time  was  over,  the  child  did  not  even 
seem  conscious  that  she  had  been  doing  any- 
thing wrong ! 

But  oh !  the  bustle  and  commotion  that 
there  were  when  a  cab,  with  a  black  trunk  on 
the  coachman's  box,  did  at  length  actually 
drive  up  to  the  door !  The  whole  house  re- 
sounded with  the  cry,  "  It  is  George !  it  is 
George !  he  has  come  !"  I  heard  little  Eddy 
swinging  himself  down  stairs  so  fast,  that  it 
must  have  been  at  the  peril  of  his  neck ;  I 
believe  that  the  coachman  had  not  even  time 
to  ring,  so  eagerly  the  door  was  opened ;  and 
7* 


78  STORY   OF  A  NEEDLE. 

there  was  such  a  medley  of  eager  voices  in 
the  hall,  that  all  the  neighbourhood  must  have 
known  of  the  arrival!  I  soon  saw  Mrs. 
Ellerslie  enter  the  drawing-room,  with  a  colour 
on  her  cheek  and  a  sparkle  in  her  eye ;  her 
arm  was  around  the  neck  of  her  son,  and 
she  surveyed   him  with   mingled  pride  and 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  repeat  the  conversa- 
tion which  passed ;  every  one  seemed  so  eager 
to  ask  questions,  that  there  was  scarcely  a 
possibility  of  reply ;  but  I  noticed  that  when- 
ever his  mother  spoke,  George  was  instantly 
silent  and  attentive;  and  that  though  he 
laughed,  played,  and  chatted  merrily  with  all, 
his  eye  most  frequently  rested  on  her.  Then 
he  had  to  go  up  stairs  to  see  the  baby,  fol- 
lowed, of  course,  by  Lily  and  Eddy,  who  pur- 
sued him  like  his  shadow;  and  it  was  not 
till  an  hour  or  two  afterwards  that  he  re- 
entered the  drawing-room  with  them. 

"  And  now,  Georgie,  you  must  show  us  your 
prize!"  cried  Lily,  with  eager  pleasure. 

They  sat   down  on  the  ottoman  together, 


THE  schoolboy's  keturn.  79 

just  as  Lizzie  and  Lily  had  sat,  and  Eddy 
crept  up  close  to  his  brother.  This  time  no 
one  sent  him  away. 

"A  book !  what  a  beauty  !"  cried  Lily ; 
but  on  turning  over  some  of  the  pages,  she 
added,  with  a  look  of  disappointment,  "but 
what  a  stupid  book  it  must  be !  all  about 
metals,  and  things  no  one  cares  for !" 

"  Well,  I've  been  reading  a  little  in  the 
train,  and  I  did  not  find  it  stupid  at  all.  It 
tells  one  so  much  that  is  curious  and  new. 
Did  you  ever  hear,  Eddy,  of  metal  spoons  that 
would  melt  in  hot  tea  like  sugar?" 

Eddy  opened  his  eyes  .very  wide. 

"Well,  men  really  make  such  spoons;  I 
mean  that  they  would,  if  they  thought  that 
any  one  would  buy  them, — of  a  mixture  of 
bismuth,  lead,  and  tin !" 

"  I  never  heard  of  bismuth  before,"  cried 
lily. 

"  It  is  a  white  metal,  of  a  reddish-yellow 
tinge,  used  with  others  in  making  solder  for 
the  plumbers.  There's  the  beauty  of  my 
book,  Lily ;    it  tells  one  so  much  that  one 


80  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

never  heard  of  before.  Did  you  know  that 
there  was  a  wine  made  of  steel  ?" 

"  Steel  wine  ?  Oh  yes  !  that  is  what  mamma 
has  to  take  every  day,  to  make  her  strong ; 
but  it  is  not  at  all  nice ;  it  dees  not  taste  in  the 
least  like  other  wine." 

"  Then  there's  sugar  of  lead." 

"  I'd  like  that !"  cried  Eddy,  smacking  his 
lips  at  the  idea  of  a  sweetmeat. 

"  Would  you,  my  little  man  ?  But  it  would 
not  like  you.  Sugar  of  lead  is  that  metal  dis- 
solved in  spirit  of  vinegar ;  and  that,  you  must 
know,  makes  it  a  poison." 

"Well,"  said  Lily,  "I  always  considered 
lead  as  a  dull,  heavy  metal,  fit  for  nothing  but 
making  water-pipes.' 

"  My  book  would  tell  you  a  different  tale. 
Why,  you  forget  black-lead  pencils,  and  the 
types  used  in  printing.  It  is  employed  also  in 
making  clear  glass,  the  varnish  on  china,  and 
beautiful  white  paint,  for  all  that  it  looks  so 
dull !  Then  it's  so  odd  to  think  that,  from 
mixing  some  metals  together,  you  can  get  quite 
a  new  one  !     Look  at  the  bright  brass  rods 


THE  SCHOOLBOY'S  KETUKN.  81 

upon  which  the  curtains  are  hung ;  brass  is  a 
mixture  of  copper  and  zinc." 

"They  look  like  gold!"  cried  Eddy,  look- 
ing up.  "  What  do  people  mix  to  make 
gold !" 

"  Yon  fanny  little  philosopher,"  said  George, 
playfully  tapping  his  brother  on  the  cheek, 
11  that's  the  very  question  which  for  ages  puz- 
zled the  brains  of  the  learned.  They  wanted 
to  discover  some  way  to  mix  up  metals  and 
make  gold.  Even  the  wonderful  Sir  Isaac 
Newton  was  very  anxious  to  find  it  out! 
Men  were  always  searching  and  searching  for 
what  they  called  'the  philosopher's  stone;' 
and  they  read  old  books,  and  looked  at  the 
stars,  as  if  they  could  see  the  secret  written 
there ;  and  they  kept  up  fires  for  3' ears  and 
years,  and  mixed  together  all  sorts  of  things ; 
and  some  spent  all  their  money,  and  some  all 
their  lives,  in  trying  to  find  out  how  to  make 
gold!" 

"And  never  found  out  at  last?"  inquired 
Lily. 

"  It  was  like  running  after  a  rainbow,  that 


82  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

searching  for  the  philosopher's  stone.  But  look 
at  Eddy  ;  he  is  yawning,  he  is  not  quite  a  Sir 
Isaac  Newton  yet  ;  so  I  think,  Lily,  that  we 
had  best  shut  the  book,  and  be  off  for  a  game 
at  hide  and  seek !" 


XL 

1)0 nu  finis. 

OU    won't   do   any  lessons.   George, 

during  the  holidays,  I  suppose?"  said 

Lily,  as  she  slowly  and   reluctantly 

brought    her    lesson-books    to    her 

mother  the  next  clay. 

"  That's  as  mamma  likes,"  answered  George. 

"  I  think,"  said  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  replying  to 

his  glance,  "that  as  you  have  been  working 

so  hard,  my  boy,  you  might  indulge  in  a  few 

days'  complete  rest." 

"  I  must  not  be  quite  idle,"  said  George 
cheerfully  ;  "will  you  not  let  me  teach  Eddy 
while  I  am  at  home?" 

"  I  think  that  you  would  be  soon  tired  of  the 
business,"  replied  Mrs.  Ellerslie,  with  a  smile. 
"  I'll  try  my  skill  as  a  tutor,  at  least;"  and 
there  was  a  bright  look  about  the  boy,  which 


84  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

seemed  to  say,  "I  am  determined  not  to  be 
tired." 

So  George  set  about  the  task  of  tuition  with 
wondrous  good  humor  and  patience;  and 
Eddy  was  delighted  with  his  teacher,  who 
really  succeeded  in  persuading  him  at  last  that 
twice  two  does  not  make  three.  I  must  own 
that  Eddy  persisted  to  the  end  in  calling  no  on, 
and  of  for ;  but  then  he  was  but  a  little  boy, 
and  Greorge  said  that  he  would  do  better  in 
time.  It  was  certainly  a  relief  to  Mrs.  Ellers- 
lie  not  to  have  her  attention  diverted  from 
Lily ;  but  I  could  not  but  fancy,  from  the 
anxious,  abstracted  expression  of  the  poor 
lady's  face,  that  her  own  thoughts  were  often 
wandering  from  the  lesson  to  the  difficulties 
of  her  husband  and  the  expected  letter  from 
Bristol. 

As  soon  as  studies  were  over  she  quitted 
the  room;  doubtless  glad  that  the  drudgery 
was  ended  for  the  day ;  and,  merry  as  a  bird 
from  a  cage,  Lily  flew  to  the  side  of  her  brother. 

"It's  raining,  so  we  need  not  go  out.  Oh, 
what  a  delightful  chat  we  shall  have !     Just 


HOME  HINTS.  85 

sit  down  beside  me,  Greorgie,  and  tell  me  now 
you  feel  now  that  you  are  at  home." 

"  I  should  feel  very  happy  indeed — but  that 
I  think  mother  is  looking  very  ill." 

"  Do  you  ?"  exclaimed  Lily,  with  a  look  of 
alarm.  "  Well,  I  hoped  that  she  was  better, 
for  she  never  complains.  The  doctor  saw  her 
about  a  month  ago ;  he  gave  her  something  to 
strengthen  her,  and  said  that  she  must  be 
taken  care  of,  and  then  there  would  be  nothing 
to  fear." 

"  And  is  she  taken  care  of?"  said  George.. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know, — I  don't  see  what  we 
can  do,"  replied  Lily,  looking  perplexed;  "I 
would  gladly  sit  up  all  night,  if  it  could  do  her 
any  good." 

"  She  does  not  want  any  one  to  sit  up 
with  her  all  night,"  said  George  ;  "but  I  can- 
not help  thinking  that  we  could  do  more  for 
her,  Lily,  than  the  cleverest  doctor  could. 
The  lessons  are  a  great  fatigue  to  her,  I  fear." 

"  Well,  I'm  sure  that  I  should  be  delighted 
to  leave  them  off,  every  one  of  them  L"  ex- 
claimed his  sister. 

8 


86  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"  That  would  not  do,"  answered  George ; 
"they  must  be  learned;  and  I  am  afraid  that 
I  could  not  teach  you  as  well  as  Eddy.  But 
it  does  seem  to  me,  Lily,"  he  continued,  speak- 
ing more  slowly  and  looking  on  the  ground, 
"that  you  might  save  mother  just  half  the 
trouble  that  you  give  her  at  your  lessons." 

"  I !  what  do  you  mean  ?"  said  Lily,  quickly. 

"  Well,  dear,  I  don't  wish  to  vex  you ;  but 
you  know  that  I  could  not  help  hearing  what 
went  on  all  -the  time  that  you  were  at  your 
tasks.  Mother  had  to  tell  you  this  thing  and 
that — just  what,  I  suppose,  she  had  told  you 
a  hundred  times  before ;  and  you  were  watch- 
ing the  butterfly  fluttering  about  while  she 
was  explaining  the  rule  of  three ;  so  of  course 
you  did  not  understand  it  one  bit,  and  she  had 
to  begin  from  the  beginning  again.  Mother 
is  so  kind  and  gentle, — it  seems  as  though  her 
goodness  made  you  careless.  I  am  sure  that 
you  would  learn  your  lessons  much  better  if 
she  had  taught  you  with  a  rod  in  her  hand." 

"  George,  I  never  expected  this  from  you  !" 
cried  Lily,  her  eyes  filling  with  tears. 


HOME   HINTS.  87 

"  Forgive  me,  dear,  for  speaking  so  plainly ; 
but  when  I  look  at  mother,  and  see  her  so 
thin  and  pale,  I  can't  help  telling  you  a  little 
what  I  think.  Now,  it's  just  like  this,"  con- 
tinued George,  searching  in  his  mind  for  a 
simile.  "  Suppose  that  you  were  lame,  and 
that  it  was  my  duty  to  lift  you  into  baby's 
little  carriage,  and  give  you  a  turn  round  the 
square." 

"  You  could  manage  it,  I  daresay,"  said 
Lily. 

"Ah!  but  suppose  that,  as  I  was  drawing 
you  along,  you  caught  at  every  bush,  and 
clung  to  the  palings,  and  held  the  wheels,  so 
that  they  could  not  be  turned  round." 

Lily  could  not  refrain  from  laughing.  "  You 
would  have  hard  work,  Greorgie,  dragging  me 
along !  But  I  should  never  make  you  so  un- 
kind a  return,  if  you  were  so  good  as  to  draw 
me  round  the  square  !" 

"  And  yet,  when  dear  mother  gives  her 
time  and  her  strength  to  getting  you  on  with 
your  learning,  you  act  just  as  if  you  wished 
to  make  her  pull  in  vain ;  and  I  am  sure  that 


88  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

she  is  just  as  much  tired  as  I  should  be  after 
giving  such  a  drive.  Now,  Lily,  I  am  certain 
that  you  love  dear  mamma—" 

"  I  love  her, — I  dote  on  her, — I  would  do 
anything  for  her !"  exclaimed  the  little  girl, 
fairly  bursting  into  tears,  for  she  was  much 
wounded  by  the  words  of  her  brother. 

George  kissed  her  again  and  again,  as  if  an- 
gry with  himself  for  having  vexed  her ;  but 
as  soon  as  Lily  was  more  calm,  he  resumed  the 
subject  once  more. 

"  Now,  dear,  suppose  that  you  and  I  resolve 
in  future  to  do  our  very  best  to  make  mother 
strong  and  well.  There  are  three  things 
which  I  think  will  do  her  more  good  than  all 
the  steel  wine  in  the  world.  First,  let  her 
never  say  anything  twice, — what  a  saving  of 
her  strength  that  would  be !  Then  let  us  al- 
ways determine  to  think  of  her  pleasure  be- 
fore our  own.  And  lastly,  in  every  little 
thing,  let  us  save  her  all  the  trouble  that  we 
can.  Oh,  Lily,  let  us  only  consider  what  a 
blessing  God  has  given  us  in  such  a  parent ; 
we  can  not  love  her  too  much,  nor  care  for 


HOME   HINTS.  89 

her  too  much,  nor  too  earnestly  try  to  obey 
that  commandment,  '  Honor  thy  father  and  thy 
mother.''  And  now  you  will  forgive  me  for 
what  I  have  said  ?"  George  added,  gently  lay- 
ing his  hand  upon  his  sister's. 

Lily  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck. 
"  George,  you  are  a  darling,"  she  exclaimed. 

"  And  so  we  will  be  merry  again !  Come, 
dry  up  those  eyes,  dear  Lily  ;  I  can  not  bear 
to  see  you  cry." 

Lily  smiled  through  her  tears,  dried  her 
eyes,  and  then,  taking  her  work-box  from  the 
table,  she  drew  out  her  beautiful  pen-wiper. 
"  Can  you  guess  for  whom  this  is?"  said  she  ; 
"  do  you  think  that  it  will  be  pretty  when  it 
is  done  ?" 

"Yery  pretty  indeed,"  answered  George; 
4 'bow  beautiful  the  gold  looks  on  the  dark 
blue !" 

"  It  is  for  a  certain  brother  of  mine,"  said 
Lily,  with  an  arch,  pleasant  smile. 

"For  a  brother  who  will  value  it  very 
much, — I  think  that  I  can  answer  for  that," 
replied  George. 

8* 


90  STORY    OF   A    NEEDLE. 

"I'm  going  to  work  it  now,"  said  the  little 
girl,  as  she  passed  a  thread  through  my  eye. 

"  Have  you  nothing  else  that  you  wish  to 
do  first,  dear  Lily  ?" 

"  ]STo;  nothing ; — oh,  you  are  looking  at  that 
hole  in  my  dress ;  "but  I  never  mend  my  own 
clothes." 

UI  thought  that  I  heard  mother  say  some- 
thing about  that  very  hole  to-day,"  observed 
Greorge,  with  a  little  hesitation. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  that  I  ought  to  run  it  up; 
but  I  do  so  detest  mending." 

"  I  wish  that  I  could  help  you,  Lily  ;  but  I 
fear  that  my  fingers  are  too  clumsy.  Here  is 
an  opportunity  for  you  to  begin  to  follow  up 
your  good  resolutions.  Here  is  something 
which  you  dislike  to  do  ;  but  then  your  doing 
it  will  give  pleasure  to  mother.  What  is 
trouble  to  you  will  save  trouble  to  her,  and 
you  will  be  so  glad  when  the  effort  is  made." 

"  Must  I  put  this  by  ?"  said  Lily,  looking 
sadly  at  her  pen- wiper. 

"  For  a  while,  dear,  only  for  a  while.  I  shall 
always  look  with  more  pleasure  at  my  beauti- 


/ 


HOME   HINTS.  91 

ful  present  when  I  remember  that  my  Lily 
would  not  let  her  own  will  come  before  her 
duty  and  her  love  to  her  mother." 

The  pen-wiper  was  replaced  in  the  box,  and 
I  felt  myself  hastily  run  into  the  dress. 

"I  will  sit  beside  you  while  you  work," 
said  George,  "  and  tell  you  a  story,  to  amuse 

you." 

"  A  story  !  a  story  !"  exclaimed  Eddy,  run- 
ning up  to  his  brother  in  high  glee  at  the 
word. 

"  Oh,  Eddy !  what  have  you  been  about? — 
pulling  the  horse-hair  out  of  the  chair !" 

"  He  is  always  at  some  mischief,"  said  Lily. 

"I  think,"  observed  Greorge,  "  that  it  must 
be  because  he  is  idle,  and  can  not  keep  those 
little  fingers  still.  Now,  Eddy,  would  you 
not  rather  be  a  comfort  to  mamma,  and  help 
her?" 

"I  do  help  mamma !  exclaimed  the  little 
boy,  with  a  look  of  injured  innocence ;  "  I 
helped  her  a  great  deal  to  pack  her  box ;  I 
wish  mamma  had  a  box  to  pack  every  day." 

"  Perhaps  mamma  would  not  join  in  that 


92  STORY   OF   A  NEEDLE. 

wish.  But  if  there  is  not  a  box  to  pack,  here 
is  a  great  skein  of  wool  to  wind.  Will  you 
hold  it  on  your  hands,  little  man,  while  I  try 
to  find  out  the  knot  ?" 

"He'll  let  it  slip  off  to  a  certainty!"  cried 
Lily ;  "  you  had  much  better  put  it  over  a 
chair." 

"Will  you  let  it  slip  off,  Eddy,"  said  his 
brother,  "  and  spoil  all  the  skein  for  mamma  ?" 

"  I'll  hold  it  as  tight — as  tight  as  a  drum  I" 
cried  the  child,  indignant  at  his  carefulness 
being  doubted.  "I  will  be  useful, — I  will 
help  mamma !"  his  face  quite  flushed  as  he 
spoke. 

u  You'll  be  her  comfort,  Eddy,  I'm  sure  of 
it,"  said  George.  u  Now,  softly  ;  you  need  not 
stretch  it  so  hard ;  just  hold  your  hands  a  lit- 
tle nearer  to  the  light;  I  can  wind  all  the 
time  that  I  am  telling  the  story." 

"  Oh,  how  nice  it  will  be  !  how  happy  we 
are  !  What  shall  the  story  be  about  ?"  cried 
Eddy. 

"  Let  me  see,"  said  George,  shaking  out  a 
knot.     "  Why,  Lily,  how  famously  you  are 


HOME  HINTS.  93 

getting  on  with  your  hole.  We  shall  be  puz- 
zled to  find  out  the  place  where  it  was.  I 
think  that,  in  compliment  to  your  work,  I  will 
tell  you  a  story  of  a  needle  and  a  compass/' 

"  Of  a  needle  ! — oh,  what  fun !"  cried  little 
Eddy.'  A  jovial  little  fellow  he  was,  and  very 
merry  sounded  his  laugh ;  but  it  was  not  mer- 
rier than  mine,  if  the  children  could  have  heard 
it ;  for  never  had  it  entered  my  thoughts  for  a 
moment  that  any  one  would  ever  make  a  story 
about  me;  and  I  felt  amazingly  complimented 
by  the  idea. 

"  What  sort  of  needle?"  asked  Eddy;  "abig 
needle, — a  darning  needle, — a  bodkin  ?" 

"Oh,  no!"  replied  George,  with  a  smile, 
"  we  need  nothing  so  grand  as  that.  We'll 
have  a  story  of  a  nice  little  needle,  just  like 
that  with  which  Lily  is  sewing." 

With  eager  curiosity  I  listened,  and  the 
Scissors  and  the  Thimble  were  all  full  of  at- 
tention, as  George  commenced  his  story. 


XII. 

%\}t  Statu  at  a  DtoM*  attfr  a  Camps. 

NCE  upon  a  time,  in  the  days  of  fair- 


"  How  long  ago  ?"  inquired  Eddy. 
u  Well,  you  must  not  ask  too  partic- 
ularly about  that,"  laughed  George ; 
"but  I  suppose  that,  as  there  is  a  compass  in 
my  story,  it  must  have  been  after  the  compass 
was  invented, — about  the  thirteenth  century, 
that  is  to  say,  though  some  believe  that  the 
Chinese  had  it  more  than  two  thousand  years 
before." 

"  But  what  is  a  compass?"  said  Eddy,  look- 
ing up. 

"  Oh,  Eddy  !"  cried  Lily  with  impatience, 
"  you  must  not  interrupt  us  every  minute." 

"  Poor  little  fellow,  it  is  very  natural  t^at  he 
should  like  to  understand,"  observed  Goorge. 


STOKY  OF  A  NEEDLE  AND  COMPASS.      95 

"I'll  try  to  explain  it  to  you, /Eddy.  There 
is  a  strange  substance,  called  loadstone,  dug 
out  of  the  ground,  for  which  iron  has  a  won- 
derful fancy.  If  a  lump  of  it  were  placed  in 
Lily's  work-box,  all  her  needles  and  scissors, 
and  her  keys,  if  she  had  any,  would  jump  to 
it,  and  cling  to  it  in  a  minute,  just  as  you 
would  jump  into  mother's  arms !" 

"Oh !  I  wish  that  I  had  a  lump  as  big  as 
my  head.  I  should  like -to  see  the  poker  and 
the  tongs  and  the  shovel  all  jumping!"  ex- 
claimed Eddy,  full  of  merriment  at  the  thought. 

"  And  the  odd  thing  is,"  continued  George, 
"that  when  iron  is  well  rubbed  with  this  load- 
stone, it  seems  as  though  it  grew  just  like  it, 
for  it  gets  the  very  same  curious  property  of 
attracting  other  bits  of  iron.  One  of  the  boys 
at  my  school  had  a  large  steel  magnet- — that 
is,  steel  that  had  been  rubbed  with  the  load- 
stone— and  it  was   the  funniest  thine^  in  the 

o 

world  to  see  a  dozen  needles  sticking  to  it  at 
once,  like  so  many  quills  upon  a  porcupine." 

"But  what  has  this  to  do  with  the  com- 
pass?" inquired  Lily. 


96  STORY    OF  A    NEEDLE. 

"It  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  com- 
pass. It  has  been  discovered  that  magnets, 
when  put  in  such  a  position  that  they  can 
freely  move  in  any  direction,  are  sure  always  to 
turn  towards  the  north ;  so  little  instruments 
are  formed,  holding  a  small  piece  of  steel  made 
into  a  magnet,  not  fixed,  but  left  to  tremble 
and  tremble,  till,  like  a  tiny  finger,  it  points 
towards  the  North  Pole." 

""What  is  the  use. of  that?"  said  Eddy. 

"It  is  of  wonderful  use,"  answered  George. 
"  Why,  only  think  of  poor  sailors  at  sea,  when 
there  is  nothing  but  water,  wide  water  around 
them,  and  when  the  clouds  hide  the  sun  or 
the  stars,  how  can  they  tell  which  way  to 
steer?" 

"I  don't  know,"  said  Eddy,  quite  puzzled. 

"  They  look  at  their  clever  little  compass 
— they  see  in  what  direction  it  points, — they 
know  from  it  where  the  north  and  south  lie  ; 
and  the  tiny  needle  serves  as  a  guide." 

"What  a  clever  little  compass  I"  cried  Ed- 
dy ;  now  please  go  on  with  your  story." 

"  Well,  as  I  said,  once  upon  a  time,  in  a 


STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE  AND  COMPASS.      97 

beautiful  garden,  near  a  beautiful  palace,  there 
sported  two  beautiful  children.  Thej  were  the 
little  son  and  daughter  of  a  king ;  and  they 
were  brought  up  with  such  foolish  indulgence, 
that  in  all  things  they  had  their  own  way. 
They  did  not  like  spelling,  so  they  never  learned 
to  spell ;  they  did  not  know  their  tables ;  they 
never  looked  at  maps ;  they  could  not  so  much 
as  count  their  fingers  1" 

"  Oh  !"  exclaimed  Eddy,  "  the  stupid  little 
things !" 

"  They  were  not  naturally  more  stupid  than 
others,"  replied  George  ;  "but  then  they  were 
terribly  idle.  They  were  of  no  use  to  any  one 
in  the  world.  They  did  nothing  but  gather 
fruit  and  eat  it,  and  make  garlands  of  pretty 
flowers,  and  sing  aloud  their  foolish  little 
song,— 

"  I  love  to  be  idle,  I  love  to  be  gay, 
I'll  throw  my  books  and  my  work  away ! 
From  morning  till  night — all  play,  all  play ! '  " 

There  was  a  twinkle  in  Eddy's  merry  eye 

that  seemed  to  say  that  he  felt  no  surprise  at 

the  idle  taste  of  the  children. 
9 


98  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"  Well,"  continued  George,  winding  rapidly 
all  the  time  that  he  spoke,  "  one  day  they 
were  playing  together  in  the  garden,  when  they 
were  surprised  to  hear  alow,  soft  sound,  which 
came  from  a  bed  of  flowers.  They  ran  eagerly 
to  the  spot,  and,  standing  in  the  cup  of  a 
tulip,  a  fine  tulip,  all  streaked  with  crimson 
and  white,  what  do  you  think  they  saw  ?" 

Eddy  suspected  a  wasp  or  a  dragon-fly. 

"  No ;  a  lovely  little  fairy,  with  gossamer 
wings,  all  spangled  with  silver  and  gold  ;  and 
she  held  in  her  hand  a  fine  glittering  wand, 
not  half  so  big  as  the  tiniest  needle !" 

"  '  Oh  !  foolish  children !'  she  cried,  in  a  soft, 
sweet  voice,  which  sounded  like  the  tinkling  of 
a  bell ;  '  do  you  think  life  was  made  only  for 
a  plaything,  and  time  given  to  be  thrown  away 
in  folly!  There  is  work  in  this  world  for 
every  one  to  do,  and  everything  is  created  for 
some  use.  As  you  have  never,  with  your  wills, 
done  any  service  to  mankind,  it  is  your  doom 
to  do  service  without  them.  Your  eyes,  your 
ears,  your  hands,  your  tongues,  have  been 
given  you  to  no  purpose ;  their  powers  shall 


STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE  AND  A  COMPASS.   99 

now  be  taken  quite  away ;  for  seven  long  years 
you  shall  toil  in  humble  estate,  till  you  have 
learned  how  great  is  the  value  of  time,  and 
opportunity  to  do  some  good  to  others  !' 

"  While  the  little  prince  was  wondering 
what  the  fairy  could  mean,  she  stretched  her 
gossamer  wings,  and  flying  towards  him,  she 
touched  him  on  the  face  with  her  wand.  A 
very  odd  feeling  came  over  him  at  once.  He 
seemed  to  be  contracting  like  an  Indian-rubber 
ball,  when  some  one  has  let  out  the  air.  Feet 
and  legs,  hands  and  arms,  appeared  drawn 
into  his  body;  and  the  body  itself  became 
smaller,  and  rounder,  and  harder,  every  minute, 
till  nothing  was  left  of  the  poor  little  prince 
but  a  mariner's  compass  in  a  neat  brass  case, 
with  its  slender  finger  trembling,  trembling,  till 
it  found  its  resting-place  towards  the  north  I" 

Eddy  opened  his  blue  eyes  very  wide  at  the 
idea  of  such  a  strange  transformation,  and 
nearly  let  the  skein  of  wool  slip  over  his 
fingers. 

"  The  little  girl  stood  amazed,  as  you  may 
suppose,  at  the  singular  change  in  her  brother. 


100  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

In  her  surprise  to  see  him  shrink  into  so  curi- 
ous a  shape,  she  was  utteriDg  a  cry  of  dismay, 
when  her  tongue,  all  on  a  sudden  ceased  to 
move,  her  fingers  appeared  fastened  to  her 
sides,  her  feet  joined  together  and  grew  into  a 
point, — she  shrank,  shrank,  as  if  going  to  dis- 
appear altogether, — till,  where  the  little  prin- 
cess had  stood,  there  only  lay  on  the  ground  a 
small  needle !" 

"Oh!  George,  what  a  comical  story!"  cried 
Lily,  smoothing  down  the  dress,  which  she 
now  had  finished  mending. 

{  Please,  go  on,"  exclaimed  Eddy;  "what 
did  the  fairy  do  next  ?" 

"Turning  towards  the  mariner's  compass, 
and  waving  her  wand  to  the  sound  of  strange 
wild  music  in  the  air,  she  sang  the  following 
words : — 


1  Upon  the  stormy  tide 
The  weary  seamen  guide, 
And  point  to  the  North  across 
The  ocean  wide!' 


Then  bending  over  the  needle,  she  continued 
the  lay, — 


STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE  AND  A  COMPASS.   101 

"  '  "What  is  marred,  make  right ; 
"What  is  severed,  unite ; 
And  leave  where'er  you  pass  a  golden  thread  of  light !' 

Then  in  what  manner  they  were  conveyed 
away  I  know  not,  but  suddenly  the  compass 
found  itself  on  the  deck  of  a  ship,  and  the 
needle  in  the  work-box  of  a  young  lady." 

aThat  was  Lily,"  suggested  Eddy. 

"Oh  !  as  if  we  lived  in  the  time  of  the 
fairies !"  exclaimed  his  sister,  now  busy  again 
with  her  pen-wiper. 

"  Well,  we  may  call  industry  and  affection 
good  fairies,"  said  George,  "  for  what  wonder- 
ful changes  they  make !  But  to  go  on  with 
my  little  story. 

"  For  seven  long  years  the  compass  and  the 
needle  were  as  clever  and  useful,  and  did  as 
much  work,  as  compass  and  needle  could  do. 
The  one  was  tossed  on  the  stormy  sea,  was 
nearly  lost  in  a  shipwrecked  vessel,  and  when 
it  was  deserted  by  its  crew,  and  almost  every- 
thing else  left  behind,  they  took  it  with  them, 
as  something  more  precious  than  gold,  and  by 
it  were  guided  to  safety !  It  were  endless  to 
9* 


102  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

tell  all  the  good  deeds  of  the  tiny  needle  in  its 
4uiet  little  home;  how  many  holes  it  mended, 
how  many  poor  it  clothed,  what  beautiful 
pen- wipers  it  made,"  Greorge  added,  glancing 
playfully  at  his  sister,  "  till  at  last — " 

"  Well,  what  happened  at  last  ?"■  said  Eddy. 

"  At  last,  one  lovely  summer  morn,  when 
all  the  birds  were  singing,  and  the  flowers 
smelling  sweet,  and  the  trees  waving  softly  in 
the  air ;  in  the  beautiful  garden  of  a  beautiful 
palace,  the  two  beautiful  children  found  them- 
selves again,  with  their  arms  closely  twined 
around  each  other !" 

"  Had  they  not  grown  in  all  that  time  ?" 
inquired  Lily. 

"  They  had  grown  wiser,  dear,  but  the  years 
that  had  passed  seemed  to  them  like  nothing 
but  a  dream*;  and  a  dream  they  would  have 
thought  them,  so  exactly  did  everything  ap- 
pear as  it  had  done  before,  had  not  the  same 
silvery  voice  come  from  the  centre  of  a  rose, 
and  the  same  fairy  form  appeared  with  spangled 
wings,  and  tmy  glittering  wand  ! 

"  '  Let  not  the  lessons    which    you  have 


STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE  AND  A  COMPASS.   103 

learned  be  forgotten !'  she  cried.  l  Follow  the 
same  path  of  usefulness,  now  with  your  wills 
as  you  have  lately  been  doing  without  them. 
Let  not  lifeless  brass  and  steel  do  more  than 
beings  with  reason,  judgment,  and  affection. 
Let  the  heart  still  point  to  the  pole-star  of 
duty  in  every  danger  and  trouble ;  and  your 
home  be  cheered  by  the  quiet  virtues  which 
adorn  the  peace-maker,  the  comforter,  the 
friend !'  Then  bursting  into  song  as  she 
vanished  into  air,  the  fairy's  musical  voice 
was  heard : — 

"  '  On  life's  ocean  wide 

Your  fellow-creatures  guide. 
And  point  to  a  shore  beyond  the  stormy  tide  1 
What  is  marred,  make  right ; 
What  is  severed,  unite ; 
And  leave  where'er  you  pass  love's  golden  thread  of  light  I1  n 

"  That's  a  pretty  little  story  I"  said  Eddy, 
as  his  brother  wound  off  the  end  of  his  skein. 
u  You  must  teach  me  the  tiny  fairy's  song — 

1  What  is  marred,  make  righV 

"Just  say  it  over  again  once  or  twice, 
Georgia" 


104  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  it  ?"  said  I  to  Mrs. 
Scissors. 

"  Oh !  you  know  very  well  that  it  is  not  in 
my  line,"  she  replied,  in  a  snappish  manner ; 
" 1  sever  what  is  united,  and  cut  right  and 
left  1  I  would  not  stoop  to  the  office  of  a 
needle  I" 


XIII. 
0lir  |t0wg|t  t0  t\t  |t00f. 

^\HE  story  told  by  George,  however 
gratifying  to  my  feelings  as  a  needle,, 
did  not  prevent  me  from  dwelling  a 
good  deal  on  the  troubles  of  his  parents, 
and  wondering  if  any  letter  had  arrived 
from  Bristol.  I  seldom  saw  Mr.  Ellerslie  in 
the  drawing-room,  where  I  was  kept,  till  he 
returned  from  business  late  in  the  afternoon. 
This  day,  when  he  entered  the  apartment  with 
his  wife,  he  looked  gloomy  and  anxious  as 
ever. 

"There  is  a  late  post;  we  may  hear  to- 
night,'" the  lady  said.  He  muttered  some- 
thing, I  could  not  make  out  what. 

Mr.  Ellerslie  was  very  irritable  that  even- 
ing ;  he  could  scarcely  bear  the  children  near 
him  at  all.     Eddy  made  a  vain  attempt  to 


106  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

repeat  to  him  the  fairy's  song,  of  which  the 
rhyme  had  caught  the  child's  fancy.  He  and 
his  sister  were  soon  sent  up  to  the  nursery ; 
but  George,  as  being  older  and  more  quiet, 
was  suffered  to  remain  behind. 

Mrs.  Ellerslie,  with  forced  cheerfulness,  did 
all  that  she  could  to  make  the  fi'lavy  time 
pass  pleasantly.  She  carefully  avoided  rous- 
ing her  husband's  temper,  and  when  without 
reason,  his  peevishness  broke  forth,  she  bore 
it  without  murmur  or  complaint,  and  kept 
down  the  tears  which  struggled  to  rise.  I 
saw  plainly  that  iron  is  not  the  only  thing 
liable  to  a  speck  of  rust,  nor  broken-pointed 
scissors  the  only  articles  formed  to  cut  and 
divide. 

Mrs.  Ellerslie  took  up  a  book,  a  very  amus- 
ing volume  it  was,  and  read  till  her  voice 
grew  hoarse  and  faint. 

"  May  I  read  a  little,  mother  ?"  said  George; 
"  it  is  good  practice  for  me,  you  know." 

She  placed  the  book  in  his  hand,  but  it  soon 
became  evident  that  George  was  not  accustom- 
ed to  read  aloud.     He  never  varied  his  tone, 


GOLD  BROUGHT  TO  THE  PROOF.    107 

missed  the  sliort  words  and  pronounced  the 
long,  and  certainly  made  a  very  poor  figure 
as  a  reader. 

"  How  you  drawl !  it  is  a  penance  to  hear 
you!"  cried  his  father. 

"  Shall  I  take  the  book  now  ?"  said  Mrs. 
Ellerslie  faintly. 

George  was  flushed.  I  could  see  that  he 
felt  his  father's  taunt.  I  believe  that  he  would 
gladly  have  given  up  the  reading;  but  his 
mother's  feeble  tone  seemed  to  touch  his 
heart,  and  still  retaining  his  hold  of  the  vol- 
ume, he  said,  "  If  you  please,  I  would  rather 
try  a  little  longer  ;  I  will  try  to  read  better  if 
you  will  let  me." 

"  There's  the  post!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  El- 
lerslie, with  a  start,  as  the  double  rap  was  sud- 
denly heard. 

George  saw  that  his  mother  was  anxious : 
he  sprang  out  of  the  room  in  a  moment. 

Mr.  Ellerslie  rose,  as  if  too  impatient  to  be 
able  to  sit  still.  His  wife  clasped  her  trem- 
bling hands,  but  neither  of  them  uttered  a 
word  till  George  returned  with  a  letter. 


108  STOKY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"  The  Bristol  post-mark !"    muttered    Mr. 
Ellerslie,  as  he  broke  the  seal. 
**    "George,  my  son,"  said  the  lady,  "go  to 
the  dining-room  for  a  few  minutes.     You  can 
take  the  book  with  you  if  you  like." 

George  instantly  obeyed,  without  speaking; 
and  Mrs.  Ellerslie  fixed  her  blue  eyes,  with  a 
look  of  intense  anxiety,  on  the  changing 
countenance  of  her  husband. 

"  There — read  it,"  he  exclaimed,  when  he 
had  finished  perusing  the  letter ;  "  what  do 
you  say,  Eliza,  to  that?"  and  he  threw  himself 
again  on  his  chair. 

"  He  writes  kindly  of  George,"  said  the 
mother,  after  looking  over  the  first  page  of 
the  letter, — "  '  I  was  much  pleased  with  what  I 
saw  of  your  hoy  last  year, — I  don't  forget  that  he 
is  my  name-sake?  "  The  poor  mother's  face 
brightened  up. 

"  Eead  on,"  said  her  husband  abruptly. 

"  It  does  not  seem  that  he  declines  to  assist 
you,"  said  the  lady,  still  anxiously  endeavor- 
ing to  make  out  the  crabbed  hand-writing 
before  her;  "on  the  contrary  he  writes,  "/ 


GOLD  BROUGHT  TO  THE  PROOF.    109 

shall  have  a  large  sum  at  your  disposal,  such  as 
I  think  will  remove  every  difficulty.''  " 

"  There's  an  if  to  that.  Bead  on  a  little 
farther." 

"  Oh,  Edward  I"  exclaimed  the  lady,  almost 
dropping  the  letter,  "  can  he  ask  us  to  give  up 
our  boy — our  dear  son  !" 

"  He  offers  to  adopt  him  as  his  own." 

"  M}r  George  !  oh !  no,  no,  no ! — we  can 
never,  never  consent  to  that !" 

Why,  you  see,  Eliza,"  said  her  husband, 
speaking  rapidly,  '£  if  I  have  not  assistance 
now,  all  will  be  ruin, — I  shall  have  no  means 
of  supporting  my  family.  Perhaps  this  is  the 
best  thing  for  George  himself — " 

"  I  can  hardly  think  it,"  said  the  mother,, 
with  a  look  of  intense  pain.  "  Hardcastle  gives- 
us  to  understand  that  the  separation  from  our 
boy  must  be  '  complete—final,' — these  are  his 
very  words, — that  ;  George  must  not  look  to  two 
fathers  or  two  homes — '  " 

"Hardcastle  dislikes  me,"  muttered  Mr. 
Ellerslie  to  himself. 

"And  even  if  we  could  bear  to  part,"  con- 
10 


110  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

tinued  his  wife  with  something  like  a  stifled 
sob,  "  Hardcastle  is  not  one  to  whom  our  boy 
could  look  up  with  the  affection — the  rever- 
ence— ;"  she  stopped  for  a  moment,  as  if  to 
swallow  down  her  tears.  u  Hardcastle  has 
temper,  he  is  strange,  eccentric.  Our  George 
would  be  wretched  with  him.  Oh,  no !  it 
can  not  be !"  she  added  with  energy ;  "it 
would  be  like  sacrificing — selling  our  child  !" 

"  If  we  refuse  Hardcastle's  offer,"  said  her 
husband,  "  we  offend  him  for  ever ;  and  you 
know  the  consequences,  Eliza." 

She  sat  with  her  hand  pressed  over  her 
eyes,  while  Mr.  Ellerslie  continued  to  speak. 

"  He  can  afford  George  advantages,  comforts, 
which  it  would  not  be  in  our  power  to  be- 
stow. I  am  not  certain  whether,  all  selfish 
motives  set  aside,  the  boy  would  not  be  hap- 
pier at  Bristol  than  here." 

"Let  us  consult  George  himself,"  said  the 
unhappy  mother.  "  On  a  question  which  con- 
cerns the  welfare  of  his  whole  life,  we  at  least 
should  know  what  are  the  poor  child's  feel- 
ings." 


GOLD  BROUGHT  TO  THE  PROOF.    Ill 

"I  have  no  objection,"  replied  the  father, 
talking  to  the  door ;  "  but  you  must  com- 
mand yourself,  Eliza.  This  is  weak,  foolish 
— not  what  I  expected  from  you.  We  must 
think  calmly,  and  decide  firmly,  and  not 
give  way  to  emotions  which  injure  ourselves 
and  can  do  good  to  none. — George !"  he  called 
out,  after  opening  the  door,  while  Ms  wife, 
after  one  look  of  anguish,  such  as  I  never 
can  forget,  sat  quiet  and  submissive  on  the 
sofa,  like  one  whose  spirit  is  broken  and 
crushed. 

"Did  you  call  me,  father?"  said  George,  as 
he  entered  with  his  light  step  and  cheerful 
glance. 

"  Yes ;  I  wish  to  speak  to  you,  my  boy. 
You  remember  your  visit  to  Bristol  last  sum- 
mer?" 

"That  I  do!"  replied  the  school-boy  with 
a  meaning  smile ;  "I  know  that  I  was  pre- 
cious glad  when  it  was  over !" 

"You  had  nothing  to  complain  of, — Mr. 
Hardcastle  was  kind  ?" 

"Well,  kind  after  his  fashion,"  said  George, 


112  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 


with  a  little  hesitation.  "I  did  not  mean  to 
say  anything  against  him.  But  what  with  the 
smoke  and  the  dirt,  and  the  noise  of  the  great 
manufactory  close  by,  and  the  ways  of  the 
house, — not  one  bit  like  ours, — I  know  that  I 
felt  like  a  bird  in  a  cage,  and  was  heartily 
glad  when  I  was  set  free!" 

"I  knew  it !"  murmured  the  mother;  but 
I  believe  thatno  one  overheard  her  but  my- 
self, 

Mr.  Ellerslie  knitted  his  brow.  "  Hardcas- 
tle  wishes  you  to  go  to  him,"  he  said. 

"Not  another  visit,  I  hope?"  exclaimed 
George  with  animation;  "you  do  not  know 
how  much  I  should  hate  it." 

"  Not  for  a  visit,— he  would  have  you  for 
good  and  all." 

"  But  he  won't  get  me  !"  cried  the  school- 
boy with  playful  confidence.  "  I  would  not 
change  my  own  dear  home  for  that  smoky 
prison,  no,  not  for  all  England — and  Ireland 
to  boot !" 

"He  shall  not  go! — oh,  Edward,  he  cannot 
go !"  exclaimed  the  mother,  rising  and  throw- 


GOLD  BROUGHT  TO  THE  PROOF.     113 

ing  her  arms  round  her  son,  and  pressing  him 
convulsively  to  her  heart.  "  I  would  sooner 
starve  than  send  him  away  I" 

George  was  startled  and  alarmed  at  the 
sight  of  her  agitation,  and  looked  anxiously 
at  his  father  for  an  explanation  of  an  emotion 
which  he  could  not  understand. 

"  It  is  as  well .  that  he  should  know  all," 
said  Mr.  Ellerslie;  "let  the  boy  decide  for 
himself. — George,  driven  by  circumstances 
which  I  need  not  explain,  I  have  asked  a 
favor  of  Mr.  Hardcastle,  on  which  the  comfort, 
the  independence,  I  may  say  the  very  living, 
of  this  family  depend.  This  is  his  answer; 
read  it."  He  pushed  the  letter  across  the  table 
to  George. 

All  the  healthy  glow  in  the  boy's  cheek 
faded  away  as  he  slowly  made  out  the  closely- 
written  scrawl.  His  father  folded  his  arms, 
and  fixed  his  gaze  sternly  on  the  carpet ;  but 
his  mother  watched  him  with  glistening  eyes. 
George  stopped  more  than  once  as  he  read,  as 
if  to  make  sure  that  he  rightly  understood, 
and  repeated  the  words  "final  and  complete 
10* 


114  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

separation'''  as  he  might  have  done  a  sentence 
of  death.  When  he  had  finished  he  laid  down 
the  letter,  and  turning  towards  the 'sofa,  said, 
in  a  low,  agitated  tone,  "  Mother,  what  would 
you  wish  me  to  do?" 

She  buried  her  face  in  her  hands. 

"  Do  not  further  distress  your  mother,"  said 
Mr.  Ellerslie,  rising  with  emotion.  "  I  leave 
the  question  in  your  own  hands,  George ;  I 
will  never  dispose  of  you  without  your  own 
consent :"  and  as  he  spoke  I  thought  that  the 
hand  which  he  laid  on  the  shoulder  of  his 
first-born  trembled. 

George  had  evident  difficulty  in  speaking. 
He  could  scarcely  command  his  voice.  I  ex- 
pected him  to  break  down  every  moment ;  but 
he  manfully  struggled  with  his  feelings. 

"  I  should  like  one  night,  dear  father,  to 
think  over  it,  before  I  make  up  my  mind.  Mr. 
Hardcastle  says  in  his  postscript" — he  took  up 
the  letter  and  read :  Ui  As  business  takes  me  to 
London,  I  shall  arrive  almost  as  soon  as  my  let- 
ter,  and  will  see  you  on  Saturday  morning;1  so 
doubtless  he  will  be  here  to-morrow.      May 


GOLD  BEOUGHT  TO  THE  PKOOF.    115 

I  wait  till  the  morning  before  I  give  you  my 
answer  ?" 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Mr.  Ellerslie,  with  a 
heavy  sigh.  "  You  had  better  retire  to  rest 
now;  it  is  late.  I  shall  wait  at  home  to- 
morrow to  see  Hardcastle  when  he  calls.  You 
will  tell  me  your  wishes  in  the  morning. 
George,  my  dear  boy,  good-night." 

He  pressed  his  son  for  a  moment  closely  to 
his  breast,  and  then  himself  rapidly  quitted 
the  room.  George  sprang  to  the  side  of  his 
mother. 

"Mother — darling  mother!"  his  arms  were 
around  her,  his  head  buried  on  her  bosom. 

"  Oh,  George,  my  heart  will  break — will 
break  !  I  cannot  part  with  you  ! — I  can  never 
consent!" 

"  We  will  think,  we  will  reflect  over  it, 
mother." 

"  And  pray — oh,  my  child !  we  will  pray !" 


XIV. 

C  0  n  1 1  n  $\  0  n . 

i HAT'S  right,  Lily,  place  the  books 
ready ;  get  everything  right  for  dear 
^    mother,"  said  George,  as  with  a  step 
and  manner,  oh,  how  changed!  he 
entered  the  drawing-room  the  next 
morning. 

"  I  want  you  to  see  that  I  do  not  forget 
your  advice.  I  am  going  to  be  a  real  comfort 
to  mamma." 

11  And  so  ami!"  cried  Eddy  with  glee  ; — 

"  My  healthy  arm  shall  be  her  stay, 
And  I  will  wipe  her  tears  away!" 

He  stopped  short,  and  stared  in  wonder  at  his 
brother.  "  Are  you  going  to  cry,  Georgie?" 
he  exclaimed. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  George,  dear  George  ?" 
cried  Lily,  looking  alarmed. 


CONCLUSION.  117 

"  Sit  down  beside  me,  dear  Lily  and  Eddy/' 
said  George,  when  lie  had  recovered  his  voice. 
"I  want  to  speak  with  you  quietly  and 
seriously, — I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  our 
dear  parents." 

"  But  is  anything  the  matter  ?"    repeated 

my. 

"  I  am  going  to  leave  you — I  am  going  to 
Bristol,— I—" 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  passionate  excla- 
mation from  Lily,  and  something  like  a  howl 
from  Eddy. 

"•I  wish  you  to  take  my  place — to  be  to 
those  dear  parents  all  that  I  once  hoped  to  be  ; 
to  obey  them  cheerfully,  without  a  murmur ; 
to  try  to  find  out  their  wishes,  even  before 
they  can  speak  them  ;  to — " 

"  But  you  shan't  go,  Georgie ;  I  won't  let 
you  go!"  cried  Eddy,  seizing  his  brother's 
arm  with  both  his  hands,  as  if  to  detain  him 
by  force. 

At  that  moment  there  was  a  knock  at  the 
door,  and  George  turned  very  pale  at  the 
sound.   The  next  minute  Mrs.  Ellerslie  entered 


118  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

the  drawing-room  to  receive  the  expected 
visitor.  The  lady's  eyes  looked  swollen  and 
red,  and  her  form  drooped  like  a  withering 
flower.  Eddy  popped  a  cushion  on  her  chair 
and  Lily  drew  a  foot-stool  before  it. 

Mr.  Ellerslie,  whose  voice  had  been  heard 
on  the  stairs  in  conversation  with  some  one 
whose  cracked,  peculiar  tones  grated  harshly 
on  the  ear,  now  threw  open  the  door  and 
followed  into  the  apartment  a  little  shrunken 
figure,  dressed  in  a  snufY-colored  coat,  consider- 
ably the  worse  for  wear.  I  could  not  wonder, 
when  I  looked  at  the  visitor,  at  poor  George's 
reluctance  to  exchange  the  society  of  all  whom 
he  loved  so  well  for  that  of  his  cousin  at 
Bristol.  There  was  something  shabby,  mean, 
even  dirty,  in  his  appearance,  which  gave  the 
impression  that  he  was  out  of  place  in  a  gen- 
tleman's house :  while  a  terrible  squint  in  his 
left  eye,  and  a  strange  twitch  in  his  face,  which 
set  Eddy  laughing,  made  his  countenance  the 
reverse  of  agreeable. 

Mr.  Hardcastle,  in  an  uncouth,  awkward 
manner,    shook    hands    with    Mrs.   Ellerslie, 


CONCLUSION.  119 

nodded  to  Lily,  and  chucked  Eddy  good- 
humoredly  under  the  chin ;  then,  clapping 
George  heartily  on  the  back,  he  said,  "  So,  my 
man,  you  are  going  back  with  me  to  Bristol ! 
That's  right.  See  that  your  trunk  is  packed 
by  Monday ;  we'll  be  off  by  the  early  train." 

"I  shall  be  ready,  sir,"  answered  the  boy. 

Mr.  Hard  castle  sat  down,  pulled  out  his 
snuff-box,  took  a  pinch  of  its  contents,  part  of 
which  he  bestowed  on  the  carpet,  then  held 
out  the  box  to  Eddy,  who  examined  with  in- 
terest the  picture  on  the  lid. 

u  I'll  arrange  it  with  you,  Ellerslie,  to  day," 
said  the  old  gentleman  ;  "  we'll  go  to  the  city 
together,  make  all  right,  set  all  smooth.  "  He 
passed  his  fingers  through  his  hair,  and 
stretched  out  his  legs  with  an  air  of  satisfac- 
tion, in  marvellous  good  humor  with  himself. 

"I  am  very  sensible  how  much  I  am  in- 
debted to  you,"  began  Mr.  Ellerslie,  making 
an  effort  to  speak. 

"  Say  nothing  about  it,  say  nothing  about 
it, — it's  all  settled  and  done.  When  a  man 
comes  half  way  to  meet  me,  why  it's  my  way 


120  STOEY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

to  go  the  other  half  to  meet  him.  Eh,  George  ?" 
he  added,  as  if  appealing  to  the  boy,  who  stood 
silently  and  sadly  leaning  against  the  arm  of 
the  sofa. 

George's  answer  was  a  half-suppressed  sigh. 

"You  look  glumpish,"  said  the  old  gentle- 
man, fixing  the  eye  which  did  not  squint  on 
the  boy.  "You  don't  wish  to  go  with  me, 
eh?" — the  cracked  voice  had  impatience  in 
its  tone. 

"  I  wish  to  do — whatever  is  best  for  my 
parents." 

"  But  you  don't  like  going,  eh  ?"  said  Mr. 
Hardcastle,  resting  his  bony  hands  on  his 
knees,  and  leaning  forward  with  a  look  of 
peevish  irritability. 

"  I  cannot  like — leaving  my  home  for  anoth- 
er," answered  George,  gravely;  "but  I  am 
ready  to  do  it, — -I  do  not  complain." 

Mr.  Hardcastle  continued  his  sharp  scrutiny 
of  the  boy's  countenance,  as  if  he  would  read 
him  through  and  through.  There  was  a  pain- 
ful moment  of  silence, — it  was  broken  by  little 
Eddy. 


CONCLUSION.  121 

"You  shan't  take  away  George,"  said  he, 
going  close  to  the  old  man,  and  looking  ear- 
nestly up  into  his  face. 

" 1  shan't !  shall  I  not  ?  and  why  not,  my 
little  man?"  said  Mr.  Hardcastle,  lifting  the 
child  on  his  knee. 

"  Because — because — Georgie  must  not  be 
sent  far  away  like  the  compass,  but  stay  here 
at  home  like  the  needle." 
.  "  Like  what !"   exclaimed  Mr.  Hardcastle, 
laughing. 

"It's  a  story  Georgie  told  us,"  said  the 
child,  pulling  the  buttons  on  the  coat  of  the 
old  gentleman. 

"Let's  hear  his  story,  by  all  means,  my 
dear." 

Poor  Eddy  looked  exceedingly  puzzled,  for 
he  had  very  little  command  of  language,  and 
did  not  know  how  to  put  his  thoughts  into 
words.  At  last  he  said,  "  Georgie  told  it  to 
make  us  good,  and  busy,  and  kind,  and  a  com- 
fort to  papa  and  mamma." 

"  Ah !  that  must  have  been  a  capital  story  ! 
I  should  like  to  hear  you  tell  me  all  about  it." 
11 


122  STORY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

"  Eddy,"  said  his  father,  "  How  can  you 
plague  Mr.  Hardcastle  with  your  nonsense  ?" 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  he  does  not  plague 
me  at  all.  It  amuses  me  to  hear  what  the 
little  fellgw  has  to  say.  So  out  with  your 
improving  story,  Master  Eddy  [" 

Poor  Eddy  turned  round  and  looked  at  his 
brother;  but  George  seemed  disposed  to  render 
him  no  assistance.  He  glanced  at  Lily, — she 
would  not  utter  a  word.  He  was  left  to  his 
own  resources. 

"  Well,  once  upon  a  time,"  he  began,  but 
stopped  short.  "  I  can't  tell  a  story,"  said  the 
child  ;  "it  is  too  hard — I  can  only  remember 
a  bit  of  the  fairy's  pretty  song." 

"  A  little  is  better  than  nothing,"  cried  the  old 
gentleman,  much  amused  at  the  perplexed  look 
of  the  child.    "Let's  hear  what  the  fairy  sang." 

"It  was  something  about  what  we  all  should 
do,  Greorgie  said.  It  made  me  think  I  should 
like  to  do  it  too.  This  was  it;"  and  keeping 
time  with  his  fore-finger  he  slowly  repeated, — 

"  '  "What  is  marred,  make  right; 
What  is  severed,  unite ; 
And  leave  where'er  you  pass  love's  golden  thread  of  light !' 


CONCLUSION.  123 

The  hard  features  of  the  old  man  softened 
as  he  listened  to  the  lisping  child.  "  That's 
the  song,  is  it?"  said  he,  stroking  Eddy's  locks 
in  rather  an  abstracted  manner.  "  What  is 
severed  unite,"  he  repeated  to  himself; — "  here 
it  is,  What  is  united  sever  /"  and  he  glanced  at 
George  and  his  mother. 

*  That  won't  do  at  all,"  said  Eddy,  over- 
hearing him ;  "that  sounds  bad, — shocking 
bad!" 

"Does  it?"  said  Mr.  Hardcastle,  laughing. 
"  Well,  I  really  believe  that  it  does.  So  George 
teaches  you  to  be  busy,  and  obedient,  and  kind, 
and  makes  you  all  happy  ;  does  he,  eh  ?" 

"Oh,  yes!"  cried  Eddy,  jumping  down  and 
running  up  to  his  brother. 

"  It  would  be  a  shame  to  part  you,  then,  it 
would  be  a  shame  !"  said  the  old  man,  rising, 
"  No,  no,  I  am  not  so  bad  as  that !  George, 
stay  with  your  parents ;  you  are  an  honor  to 
them,  my  boy  !  stay  and  be  a  comfort  and 
blessing  in  your  home ! — And  now,  Ellerslie, 
shall  we  start  for  the  city  ?" 

I  shall  not  attempt  to   describe  the  deep, 


124  STOEY  OF  A  NEEDLE. 

intense  joy  which  followed  the  utterance  of 
these  few  words,  the  delight  which  sparkled  in 
the  eyes  of  Greorge,  or  the  fervent  exclamation 
of  thankfulness  from  his  mother!' — but  none 
looked  merrier  than  the  kind-hearted  old  man 
himself,  unless  it  were  our  little  friend  Eddy. 

I  have  often  thought  of  that  scene  since, 
and  talked  it  over  with  the  Thimble.  She  has 
become  too  small  for  Lily's  finger  now,  but 
occupies  a  quiet  corner  in  the  box.  The 
broken-pointed  Scissors  I  have  lost  sight  of 
for  years.  Lily  has  grown  into  a  sweet, 
gentle  young  maiden,  ever  watchful  to  show 
kindness  to  those  who  need  it,  ever  thoughtful 
of  the  feelings  of  others.  Her  mother  speaks 
of  her  now  as  her  "  right  hand ;"  and  the 
bloom  has  returned  to  the  lady's  pale  cheek, 
and  her  brow  is  calm  and  serene.  George  has 
entered  the  Church,  I  understand ;  and  Eddy, 
like  the  .  compass  in  the  story,  is  pursuing  his 
way  on  the  wide  ocean.  But  I  have  reason  to 
believe  that,  in  their  different  paths,  both  are 
pressing  forward  to  the  same  happy  goal,  and 
in  their  intercourse  with  the  world,  as  well  as 


CONCLUSION.  125 


in  their  peaceful  Lome,  are  living  in  the  spirit 
of  the  song, — 

"  '  On  life's  ocean  wide 

Your  fellow-creatures  guide. 
And  point  to  a  shore  beyond  the  stormy  tide ! 
What  is  marred,  make  right ; 
What  is  severed,  unite ; 
And  leave  where'er  you  pass  love's  golden  thread  of  light !'  " 


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